discrimination
A
One Monday, a stale air enveloped the surroundings. It wasn't a particularly refreshing Monday morning, but Jeongguk's roughly running his hand through his hair made the atmosphere even more stale.
Eventually, he started shaking his legs and muttering curses as if he was anxious about something. Taehyung, who was playing around on his phone next to him, nervously hit Jungkook's thigh.
김태형
Oh, wait! I'm so nervous, so stay still.
전정국
Damn it. Why aren't you coming to our anniversary?
김태형
I don't know. Let's take a look at the map.
The eyes of the children in the class who had been listening grew wide, and their mouths fell open at Taehyung's answer, which continued with a round laugh.
They exchange glances, thinking the same thing. What's wrong with them? That's understandable, because the woman they just named, Woo Yeo-ju, is their princess.
If you accidentally mentioned her name with a curse, you would be buried alive that very day.
The one who startled the bewildered class to the point of making them fall over was Park Jimin, who leisurely entered the classroom. No, to be exact, it was a girl sitting next to Jimin, with one of her arms resting on his shoulder.
Jimin ignored the other kids who were so wide that they looked like they were going to fall out, and sat the girl down next to him.
김남준
There… is a woman sitting there…
The class president swallowed those words as he saw Jimin's affectionate gaze. He had a feeling that if he touched him, he'd be screwed.
As soon as a pretty girl sat down, Jungkook and Taehyung stood up one after another and threw punches at Jimin.
김태형
This fucking… No, hey. Who are you to call our main character…
Taehyung, who was about to curse out of habit, quickly changed his words. Then, they started arguing among themselves.
The children who saw that scene were going crazy with curiosity. Who was that girl they were seeing for the first time, and why was she in that picture where Woo Yeo-ju was supposed to be?
Why does the original protagonist, Woo Yeo-ju, sneak in through the back door?
Jungkook stood in front of the female lead, cleverly covering up the girl's eyes. The moment he opened his mouth to say something, the homeroom teacher came in and yelled at the female lead.
담임선생님
Wooyeoju! Why aren't you sitting down? Why are you standing?
Tsk. The teacher, who had even clicked his tongue, looked at the girl and told her to come forward.
담임선생님
I'm a transfer student. Tell me about yourself.
이주연
Uh… I’m Lee Ju-yeon, and let’s get along well from now on.
A little short, with chubby white cheeks and puckered lips. Every single thing about Jooyeon is adorable, and her shy smile makes the boys' hearts flutter.
담임선생님
Okay, Jooyeon. Where do you want to sit?
이주연
Uh… I,
박지민
Teacher! It's me! Jooyeon said she wanted to sit next to me.
When Jooyeon couldn't answer easily, Jimin, who was the first to respond, asked. The homeroom teacher looked at Yeoju, who was sitting next to Jimin, with a disapproving look, but soon nodded.
담임선생님
Okay, Wooyeoju, go to the back.
Seeing Juyeon smiling beautifully, Taehyung and Jungkook grit their teeth in sincere regret. As a bonus, you can mutter “I’m sorry (Park Ji-min, you bastard)” between my bitten molars.
.
Jooyeon, who arrived at Jimin's seat, which was quite far in front, after walking a few steps, saw Yeoju and awkwardly greeted her.
이주연
… Hello, heroine?
우여주
Yeah, hello.
The children in the class are all flustered by the female protagonist who smiles in an unexpected way. What? Did they know each other?
Jimin, who then roughly beats up the female lead, finally becomes convinced. Ah, they really did something this weekend.
Because it wasn't like that until last Friday.
The female protagonist pushed herself back against the desk and buried her face in her hands as if she was tired.
Thanks to that, only the class president, who was sitting right in front of the female lead, started complaining again.
우여주
Shit. Even if you treat me kindly, I'll still be a piece of shit.
The female protagonist's mutterings seemed to be drowned out by the class president's ears.
The captain, pretending to check the bag hanging on the chair, tilted his head at the sight of the woman who was already asleep. Seriously… what is this?
.
As soon as the homeroom teacher left, Jungkook jumped up and approached Jooyeon, handing her 2,000 won.
전정국
Jooyeon… I really want to drink chocolate milk, so please give me some chocolate milk.
When Jooyeon got up, saying "Okay," Taehyung followed him. "We can't let our Jooyeon get lost." Hehe, Jooyeon grabbed Taehyung's wrist and asked him to show her the way.
Jungkook, who was glaring at the two with blazing eyes, kicked Yeoju's desk with his foot as if trying to vent his anger.
The female protagonist, who was lying face down on the desk, fell to the floor as the desk was pushed to the side.
Jungkook, who was looking at her smooth legs clearly revealed through the tight skirt with a frown, noticed that something was not covering her up like usual.
From here on out, the kids realize this is real. This isn't them joking around. Jeon Jungkook is seriously pissed.
Jungkook looked at each child with a cold gaze and shouted loudly.
전정국
앞으로 이 년이랑 대화하는 새끼들 다 죽여버릴거야.
전정국
Especially you, class president. Don't even try to act like class president to him. If you don't want to get beaten up for no reason, don't bother.
Even though it was a rather unpleasant remark, the class president, who was intimidated by the cold gaze, nodded more earnestly than anyone else.
After Jungkook finished speaking, Jimin, who was the center of attention in the silent classroom, pretended not to care and even put on his earphones, pushed a few chairs together and lay down.
The female protagonist, who got up with a hollow laugh, muttered loudly and pulled her desk towards her.
우여주
It's so childish, I really can't watch it.
At those words, Jeongguk kicked Yeoju's desk again.
전정국
Oh, I'm going to try to tease you childishly. You were the one who started the fight.
The female protagonist, who had been looking at her belongings pouring out without saying a word, picked up the bag that had flown away and began to put them into the bag one by one.
Just then, Jooyeon came back and rushed over to help her, putting Yeoju's things into her bag. Jimin took out his earphones and helped Jooyeon up.
박지민
Jooyeon, don't squat down because you're wearing a skirt.
이주연
Wow! Thank you.
전정국
Jooyeon, how about chocolate milk?
이주연
I bought it! I brought a straw too. Good job, right?
Jungkook, who was stroking Jooyeon's hair while he was laughing, hung his mouth on Jooyeon's ear. "Give it to me." Jungkook stuck the straw deep into the chocolate milk Jooyeon bought and offered it back to Jooyeon.
전정국
You eat it.
이주연
Huh? It's Jungkook's.
전정국
You bought it.
Jungkook, who finally succeeded in putting chocolate milk in Jooyeon's hand, turned around with a happy smile.
The female protagonist, who had even put the desk back in its original position, escaped through the back door as if she had no regrets.
The teacher who came in for first period also clicked his tongue, looking for Yeoju, but no one knew where she was. And so, Yeoju's results were processed for all of the third period PE classes.
After PE, when I returned to the classroom, I saw Yeoju, lying face down, emitting a faint smell of cigarette smoke. She hadn't even been woken by the barrage of nagging from her homeroom teacher during fourth period, and when she finally opened her eyes again, it was probably lunchtime.
That day, the cafeteria was packed to the brim with a disappointing lunch. The kids who'd given up early were either sleeping or studying like Yeoju, and the library and classrooms were bustling.
As everyone was slumping in the languid classroom temperature, Taehyung came rushing in, roughly kicking open the classroom door.
After that, there was Jooyeon crying and Jungkook hugging and comforting her. Jimin stood at the teacher's desk and shouted to the kids in the class.
박지민
Has anyone seen Jooyeon's wallet?
Even the voice of the protagonist sobbing behind him.
이주연
Hey, guys, please find it. It's really important. Mom's card is in there.
Taehyung, who was striding around the classroom while showing off his anger with his whole body, suddenly stopped.
김태형
It's obvious.
Taehyung went straight to the female protagonist, opened her bag, turned it upside down, and started to empty it out.
The items I'd been organizing earlier began to fall one by one, and even a used lighter rolled out. Finally, the last thing to fall was a pink rabbit purse, and the class's breath caught in their throats.
김태형
What the fuck.
Taehyung, who had left Yeoju, trampled on Yeoju's pencil case with a look of indignation on his face.
With a popping sound, the ink burst and blue color seeped out. The female protagonist, who had been staring at the pencil case turning blue with emotionless eyes, opened her mouth.
우여주
…is it all over?
The heroine picked up her pencil case, stuffed it roughly into her bag, then gathered her things together and stuffed them into her locker.
The captain sighs, clutching his pounding head, as he sees the heroine going out the back door again and the scene from earlier replaying.
In fact, the class president saw a secret scene that no one knew about.
김남준
‘Then… was it just me who saw the pink wallet that Lee Joo-yeon put in her bag when she was helping Woo Yeo-ju earlier?’
I think so. The class president, still watching the sobbing Jooyeon, thought to himself. Maybe Jooyeon isn't all that kind.
But the class president's self-reflection is also accurate. He's not entirely kind. Even now, when he makes eye contact with Jooyeon, he immediately looks away in surprise.
Suddenly, Jeongguk's warning flashed through my mind: "Don't even act like class president."
Unfortunately, the class president thinks this way. Even if Jeongguk hadn't said anything, I would have done the same thing anyway.