Correcting the Villainess of the Academy - Chapter 173
Chapter 173
***
Jin Yeseo had no choice but to halt her steps. She clearly understood who Yeon Minha was referring to when she mentioned “our junior.”
Fortunately, the two were so deeply engrossed in their conversation that they seemed unaware of Jin Yeseo’s presence.
She was fully aware that eavesdropping on someone else’s conversation was wrong, but she couldn’t help it. The mere fact that the subject of their sharp confrontation was *that man* was enough to root her in place.
After a brief moment of hesitation, Jin Yeseo eventually crouched back down and held her breath.
“Well. Whatever I do, it doesn’t seem to be any of your business.”
A voice so cold that it seemed to seep into one’s very bones. It was hard to dismiss it as mere hostility toward Yeon Minha.
Rather, it felt more like a deep-seated hatred for the world and intense self-loathing.
A senior admired by all, known for her kind and gentle nature.
The person Jin Yeseo had known as Baek Seoyeon suddenly felt like a carefully constructed lie.
“Yeon Minha. Don’t you think you’re being shameless?”
Baek Seoyeon continued the conversation in a voice that was both unfamiliar and sharp.
“While Hyun was dying, you did absolutely nothing.”
The “incident” they were referring to seemed to be about what happened in the First City not long ago.
At that time, Baek Seoyeon had saved the life of a dying man. As a member of the Paechun Baek family, she had every right to demand compensation for her actions, while the Jeokhwa Yeon faction, aligned with the Heukryeon Sashi family, naturally took the opposing stance.
While the tension in their conversation was palpable, it was clear that it was a discussion based on legitimate grounds.
However, what caught Jin Yeseo’s attention was something else entirely.
‘Hyun…?’
Even more shocking than Baek Seoyeon’s icy voice was the way she casually used that name.
It was as if she were rolling a sweet candy in her mouth. Her tone was both cautious and familiar.
Even Jin Yeseo, who had shared a close friendship with the man, found it too awkward to call him by that name. The fact that Baek Seoyeon could do so without hesitation was undeniably strange.
Especially considering their relationship.
“…Ugh.”
Yeon Minha seemed utterly caught off guard by Baek Seoyeon’s retort. The fierce momentum with which she had been pressing forward crumbled in an instant. A flicker of unease even shone in Yeon Minha’s eyes as she glared at Baek Seoyeon.
“…Well, I suppose I should thank you for that.”
After a brief silence, Yeon Minha suddenly changed her expression as if nothing had happened and spoke.
“Thanks to you, our adorable junior’s life was saved. I won’t deny you that credit.”
“…Ha.”
Baek Seoyeon let out a hollow laugh at Yeon Minha’s words, as if she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Jin Yeseo couldn’t even begin to imagine such a cynical expression on Baek Seoyeon’s face.
“I’m sure there’s an appropriate compensation plan. As long as you don’t do anything unnecessary, that is.”
But Yeon Minha twisted the corners of her mouth into a smirk, continuing as if she couldn’t feel the chill in the air.
“I actually called you here today to talk about that. I thought I’d better warn you… in case you overstep and demand an excessive reward. You shouldn’t covet what isn’t yours…”
It was in the middle of Yeon Minha’s drawn-out speech.
“Yeon Minha.”
Suddenly, a voice filled with eerie energy reverberated through the air.
-Crack…
A massive frost seemed to radiate from Baek Seoyeon, as if it were devouring the freshness of early summer.
“I hope you don’t misunderstand.”
Baek Seoyeon’s tightly clenched fist was dripping with beads of blood. Her hand was trembling violently, as if an earthquake had struck.
“You’re no more deserving than me.”
“…What?”
Yeon Minha frowned, as if she couldn’t understand Baek Seoyeon’s words.
“What are you talking about…?”
-Ding! Ding!
But just as Yeon Minha was about to continue her question, the sound of bells filled the garden, signaling the end of the break.
The frost that had enveloped the area melted away without a trace.
Without even glancing at Yeon Minha, Baek Seoyeon strode out of the garden. Left standing alone, Yeon Minha muttered as she watched Baek Seoyeon disappear.
“…Annoying woman.”
With that, she too quickly left the garden.
The large garden was now completely silent, devoid of any human presence. Only the soft chirping of a whistling bird perched on a tree branch echoed faintly.
After some time, a soft thud came from behind one of the massive tree trunks lining the garden path.
Jin Yeseo slumped down, forgetting to return to the classroom. She sat there blankly, covering her mouth with her hand, her eyes wide with shock as she muttered.
“What on earth… just happened…?”
***
Even after finally standing up, her mind was still in a daze. The shock had been so overwhelming that she couldn’t even feel sadness.
What was most shocking was Baek Seoyeon’s demeanor. The way she had called his name with such familiarity and longing was still stuck in her mind.
But there was no reasonable connection between the two. Except for that one major confrontation at the beginning of the semester, they had no significant interactions.
‘Could it be…’
Jin Yeseo came to a sudden halt as a thought crossed her mind.
‘Did he… get involved with her too…?’
“…”
It was a plausible scenario. After all, wasn’t he a man with a fiery temper?
Perhaps Baek Seoyeon, who had likely never encountered such rough and unfamiliar behavior, had found it strangely appealing.
Just like… she herself had.
“Unni…”
Jin Yeseo’s voice was devoid of strength. The first emotion she felt was disappointment in Baek Seoyeon.
The affection Baek Seoyeon had shown while calling his name was unmistakable.
But how could someone who already had a fiancé harbor feelings for another man?
It was Baek Seoyeon herself who had emphasized her strong bond with her fiancé.
‘How could she… be so careless with herself…’
“No, no, that’s not it.”
But just as her disappointment was about to turn into resentment, Jin Yeseo fiercely shook her head, forcing herself to dispel the negative thoughts.
She was desperately trying to understand Baek Seoyeon’s perspective.
‘Maybe she had a fight with her fiancé…? And that’s why she…’
There are many reasons why an engagement might falter; it’s not something particularly unusual.
If that man had taken advantage of such a moment of vulnerability, it was only natural for her to waver.
Baek Seoyeon was undoubtedly a victim. Just like she was. Blaming her would be completely unreasonable.
Jin Yeseo pouted in frustration. The one at fault was that male student. An unscrupulous man who couldn’t be satisfied with just one woman.
Not content with her, he had extended his claws toward Baek Seoyeon as well.
“Was I not enough…? I could’ve given more if he wanted…”
With a deep sigh, she resumed walking. She had no idea how to resolve this situation.
No matter how much she liked Baek Seoyeon, this time she couldn’t back down.
In this situation, Baek Seoyeon was nothing more than an intruder.
‘Wait…’
But then, a thought crossed her mind. She came to an abrupt stop.
“What if… she came first…?”
What if she wasn’t the first?
The mere thought of that possibility filled her chest with a suffocating sense of unease.
If that were the case and Baek Seoyeon truly harbored feelings for that male student…
If the one who had to give up wasn’t Baek Seoyeon but herself…
“…”
Jin Yeseo stood frozen for a long time, not moving an inch.
Perhaps because the sun was setting, her eyes seemed devoid of any light.
***
Decorations and electronic signboards were being set up around the main gate. Under the student council’s supervision, temporary structures like tents were being erected on both sides of the expansive campus.
After finishing class, I walked down the hallway with Sera and Yeoreum, taking in the scene.
“But what about Yena? Is something going on with her?”
“It’s nothing like that. She just seems busy these days. She always goes somewhere right after class.”
The white-haired girl with a short, hemmed skirt, Sera, answered nonchalantly.
“Students from the outskirts are probably struggling the most right now. Even for us who were born in the capital, keeping up with the class pace is tough. That says it all.”
The short-haired, expressionless girl, Yeoreum, chimed in.
I had been wondering about Ha Yena since I hadn’t seen her even once recently. Even when I was hospitalized, she only sent gifts.
But if she was simply busy, there wasn’t much I could do. At least it wasn’t anything serious.
To be honest, I could understand her situation. I was also struggling to keep up with the Cradle’s curriculum.
Without the help of Yeon Minha or Jin Yeseo, I probably would’ve needed remedial classes almost every day.
“You know, Yena seems a bit different these days. How should I put it? She seems a bit more… alluring? Whoa, look at that!”
Sera, who was about to say something, let out a small exclamation as she noticed the colorful flags and dazzling lights set up between the towering trees.
“What’s with those tents?”
“They’re for stalls and various event booths during the social gathering.”
“This year, it coincides with the founding anniversary, so it’s supposed to be even grander than usual. Wow, this is going to be so much fun…”
Sera gushed for a while before suddenly complaining about the principal.
“The principal is so unreasonable. How could he even consider canceling an event like this?”
“…That wasn’t just a rumor?”
“It’s true. A relative on the education committee told me. During a meeting, the principal apparently said…”
Yeoreum’s question only fueled Sera’s indignation further.
The social gathering was a traditional event deeply rooted in the Cradle’s history.
However, the current principal had been consistently advocating for its abolition since taking office, citing issues like disruptions to the academic schedule and security concerns.
But with the education committee members, who were closely tied to prominent families, and even the student council vehemently opposing the move, his attempts were repeatedly thwarted.
This year was no exception. After heated debates, the principal abruptly joined the Southern Army’s expedition for the reclamation of sacred grounds, leaving the matter unresolved.
Moreover, with the event coinciding with the founding anniversary, it was set to be grander than ever before.
“How can someone live just studying all the time? You need events like this to have some fun now and then.”
Sera still seemed upset.
But the principal… He really was a stickler, wasn’t he? Despite looking like he could easily blend in with the students, his rigid demeanor was unmistakably that of an adult.
“So, what exactly happens during the social gathering?”
“What happens? We just have lots of fun.”
“You don’t need to overthink it. It’s a ‘social’ gathering, after all.”
Sera and Yeoreum answered my question one after the other.
“You hang out with friends and check out the stalls…”
“Join social events at night and dance…”
“There’s even a tournament with a big prize for the winner…”
From what they were saying, it sounded like an event meant to give students a break from their studies.
So that’s why the sisters were teaching me how to dance. I was wondering why they were so insistent on it, even though it didn’t seem useful…
“…”
Just the thought of it made my head throb. This event seemed completely at odds with my unsociable nature.
“Oh, and for students in the top ranks of their year, participation in some events, like the tournament, is mandatory. You’ll probably get notified too, Hyun.”
“Is that… so…?”
Another hurdle. While everyone else was getting excited about the festive atmosphere, I felt isolated.
Just then.
A small commotion started on the other side of the hallway.
Soon, the students began parting to the sides, and I eventually saw the source of the commotion.
A blonde girl with green eyes approached from the other side. It was Jin Yeseo.
For some reason, her pristine school uniform looked unfamiliar. Maybe it was because I was used to seeing her either in training clothes or with her hoodie pulled up.
“…”
Jin Yeseo walked forward, her sharp gaze fixed on me. It had been a while since I’d seen that look. I suppose it couldn’t be helped in front of others.
She boldly closed the distance between us. The students around us held their breath, watching the scene unfold, likely anticipating some kind of trouble.
“…?”
But Jin Yeseo simply walked past me, leaving the narrow hallway.
“What the… I thought…”
“I thought she was about to challenge him again…”
“Maybe she finally realized it’s pointless…”
The onlookers murmured, slightly disappointed. Sera and Yeoreum, standing behind me, let out small sighs of relief.
“Phew… I thought something serious was going to happen… Right?”
“…”
But I stood there for a moment, unmoving. My palm still tingled from the sensation of her touch. As she passed, Jin Yeseo had brushed her fingers against mine.
“Hyun? What’s wrong?”
“…I think I left something behind. You two go ahead. I’ll catch up after I find it.”
I turned around and retraced my steps. Once the hallway grew quieter, I exited and headed to a secluded pathway.
The place Jin Yeseo was waiting at was a quiet trail behind Building A’s training hall.
When she saw me, she awkwardly raised a hand and greeted me with a small smile.
“…So, you understood? I wasn’t sure if you’d get it…”
“How could I not? So, what’s this about?”
Jin Yeseo seemed to have something important to say. Something significant enough that she had approached me in a crowded place.
“I just… have a favor to ask…”
“A favor?”
“Yeah. Is that okay…?”
“I don’t see why not… What is it?”
“…Ahem. Hey, so…”
Jin Yeseo hesitated, stammering and drawing out her words. What kind of request could this be? Judging by how she had called me out, it seemed urgent.
If it were within my ability, I intended to help. After all, I owed her in many ways.
Before I knew it, Jin Yeseo had lowered her head. She was even nervously twisting a strand of her hair.
And then, she made a request I could never have anticipated.
“Could you… pretend to be my boyfriend for a while?”
End of Chapter
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Jhonrock
Hoooooooly sh*t!!! Fire in the hole!!! The bomb has been planted!!! Hahahaha…
Ok, I have to stop now and sleep, otherwise I’ll have a nasty headache tomorrow (or today? Whatever…).