Kim Taehyung knows him, Jang Yeo-ju knows him, even a passing dog knows him, you know him, and I know him. Anyone who's been to this school for even a moment in the past four years knows this famous person, and he passes Seokjin with delicate tears streaming down his face. Of course, where else would you find such wavy, brown bob cut hair at Yeonhwa High School?
Choi Yeon-soo, who is she? a.k.a. Hwayang High School's undisputed nation's first love. It's no wonder even the world-renowned Kim Tae-hyung couldn't escape the cruel shackles of fate. Possessing a pure and innocent beauty that would put Suzy in the shoes of Architecture 101, she's a science teacher who entered the school around the same time as Kim Seok-jin, and the one who made the once-fresh-faced first-year Kim Tae-hyung write a confession letter and dance the samba dance. The catch is that this hasn't even happened that long ago.
"Taehyung. Are you crying?"
"Don't talk nonsense... I told you I gave up a long time ago."
"really?"
"uh."
"really?"
"uh."
"Can I trust you?"
"Oh really..."
As expected, the female protagonist, who couldn't miss this sweet opportunity, slowly began teasing Taehyung. And at that moment.
"That's right, do you remember that time when you made the teacher a Valentine's Day present, huh?"
"......"
"Eeeeeeeeeee! Hmm!"
"Be quiet. The teacher is coming this way."
Seokjin, who had been lingering in the hallway for a long time, as if deep in thought, approached them with a face as sunken as a potato. Only then did Jang Yeoju, who had forgotten her mission, suddenly grab the hand covering her mouth. "Hey, what should I do? You're getting too close?" Taehyung, hidden in the shadows, made a shushing gesture at her whisper, her voice low. Her heartbeat seemed to rise to her throat from the anxiety of being found out. Although it wouldn't be a major problem if they ran into each other, it was obvious that it would create a very troublesome situation, so Yeoju held her breath to prevent that in advance.
"Hey, what are you doing? The teacher is already gone."
A moment later, a tap on the crown of my head came from above. I must have unconsciously slumped down. ...Really? Are you really gone? To the other person who asked, I dryly offered, "Trust me, just listen to what I say," and extended my hand. Still unsure, Yeoju took Taehyung's outstretched hand and stood up, peeking out from the gap and looking around. It seemed like no one was left, or even watching. After all, the floor just below the rooftop was rarely visited.
"No one saw it, right?"
"All the teachers have gone down. I'll go."
"Oh, right... Let's go too." Jang Yeo-ju, feeling a pang of relief as she answers, walks down the stairs, as if dragging herself against the handrail. Tae-hyung follows her, adding a word.
"Are you sure you want to be a detective? Why don't you give up and study?"
"But do you still like Teacher Yeonsu?"
"Let's stop."
"Okay."
It was a conversation that left only wounds from beginning to end.
Yeonhwa High School Mystery Class 3
ep3. More precious than money (3)
So, putting aside the story of Taehyung's unrequited love for her for a moment, Jang Yeo-ju, who had returned to the club room after many twists and turns, sat down in the president's seat with a very serious expression. The president's seat here refers to the 'head seat of Jang Yeo-ju, president of the mystery club', which is the very center when you open the club room and enter. Although she didn't necessarily get the consent of a single other member, it was somehow fixed and anyway, it was a good seat to hold weight at any time. Kim Tae-hyung, lying on three or four chairs in a row, glared at her and said.
"I think the emergency meeting is really a mess."
"One warning for profanity."
"Do you not look like you want to swear? School is over, why do I have to be here?"
"That's because you looked like you were in a bad mood all day today."
"My feelings too."
"What on earth happened with Teacher Yeonsu?"
"Hey, go find the wallet I told you to find. Don't look anywhere else."
Wallet? A sudden thought flashed through Yeoju's mind at Taehyung's sarcasm. Why had Teacher Seokjin been searching for his wallet? And even with the help of our mystery club? She tapped the pen between her fingers on the table. The more she thought about it, the more she realized there was no reason to search so persistently unless it contained some valuable.
"Something you can't lose, like... like a first love photo, like I said before..."
"what?"
"ah."
Jang Yeo-ju suddenly kicks away the vice-chairman's seat and stands up.
"Could it be related to Teacher Yeonsu?"
Taehyung's eyebrow twitched just in time. "Because I'm dumbfounded," was, of course, the main reason. Somehow, since she'd been singing about how much she likes Teacher Yeonsu, he'd come to the conclusion that she must have been desperate to hook up with someone. "Does she think I'm dating PinkPink if I just talk to her?" There was no reason or value in listening any longer, so Kim Taehyung slowly got up from his chair, ignoring the muttering behind him.
"I'll go first."
"Hey, where are you going! I just found a really important clue!"
"You have to make sense, what are those two..."
Bam!
"Excuse me... guys-"
"Teacher Seokjin...?"
"Teacher, you're here at a good time. Do you know what Jang Yeo-ju said?"
"Hey, you're crazy...!"
"What's going on between you two, Teacher and Teacher Yeonsu? Wow, me... Even if you hear that, it's not funny, right? Right?"
"......"
"......"
"Seriously, it's not even funny..."
"......"
"......"
"really..."
The reason why the answer took so long to come back was explained by Seokjin's face, which was very red from Taehyung's unintentional confirmation kill.
"no way."
This is the day when Seolma finally caught a person.
***
"I'm sorry, I'm just being thoughtless..."
"No... No, it's okay. It's something only you guys know anyway..."
Seokjin gulped down a glass of water, looking out the window as the late afternoon sun slowly set. It seemed inevitable that his secret had been revealed, and he felt a burning sensation inside. The guilty Kim Taehyung, his mouth sealed shut, quietly clasped his hands beside him.
"That's... we didn't just think about it. Actually, I went to look for you today because I had something to ask you, and I happened to see you talking to Teacher Yeonsu."
"Ah... that time."
"I was holding my breath because the atmosphere was a bit strange."
"......"
"Teacher."
"Uh, yeah?"
Seokjin, who had been absentmindedly fiddling with his fingertips, raises his head at Yeoju's call. "What does your wallet have to do with Teacher Yeonsu? Is that why you're looking for it so diligently?" They've known each other for a year and a half, and even when his prepared dad jokes are met with cold laughter, Seokjin always maintains a bright expression. However, his recent behavior, acting as if he's been injured, is clearly not simply due to losing his wallet or feuding with another teacher.
The female protagonist, who thought it would be difficult to completely conclude this mystery unless there was some huge connection between the two, took the liberty of asking him.
"But you're not going to tell the other kids about this, are you?"
"I swear on this Conan 20th Anniversary Limited Edition Brooch, Teacher."
"The female protagonist is like that..."
Seokjin's head turned suspiciously towards Taehyung. It seemed the person most concerned here was Kim Taehyung.
"Oh, and I swear on Kim Taehyung's three Crossbone Gunpla."
"Hey, who the hell is doing this..."
"Either you bet your balls or something."
"...Teacher, I swear too."
"Uh... okay, thank you..."
Only after a strong agreement was secured at the end of the negotiation did Seokjin slowly open his mouth. Only after that process did the whole situation finally begin to make sense. Even as he spoke, he seemed to fidget, saying, "I don't know if it's right to tell you this," but thanks to the encouragement of the detective club president, he finally confessed everything. (Kim Taehyung later named this "the 'mal-mal-mun-do'.") With Seokjin gone, the two of them were left in the clubroom once again, and Yeoju abruptly jumped up from her seat.
"Phew. Can I go home now?"
"let's go."
"Ah, finally..."
"To find my wallet."
"what?"
Gyaak-! With only a short scream left behind, Kim Taehyung disappeared.