After the names of the three women he knew well came up, Gong Young-bae looked at me in great confusion. Yu-ri Lee, we always go to school together, and everyone at the academy knows about it. Even so, how did you know about Jeong Eun-ji and Choi Soo-yeon? And why did he call their names and ask who he was dating?
At that moment, Gong Young-bae thought of an ominous possibility. Han Seong-jin, a well-known iljin not only at Jinsoo Higher Education Academy but also in the surrounding area. I heard that he hangs out a lot not only with the Jinsoo school iljins but also with iljin girls from other academies, and unconfirmed rumors say he often has orgies. She said that if she likes it, she will even touch women who have boyfriends, but she couldn't believe it… 😨
Gong Young-bae swallowed his saliva.
'Well, that's absolutely not possible!'
He has known Yu-ri Lee since he was young, and he has known Jeong Eun-ji and Choi Soo-yeon for about one to two years, but he has feelings for all of them. However, it was very creepy to Gong Young-bae to know that this bastard was paying attention to all the women around him.
"Well, why are you asking that?"
Gong Young-bae mustered up his courage and resisted, albeit in a small way. But surprisingly, instead of getting angry, I just showed the same attitude as before.
"So you can decide whether I help you or not. Tell me which one is best."
"Help me…?"
At that moment, Gong Young-bae was confident. Han Seong-jin is targeting the women around him. How is it possible for the words "Han Seong-jin" and "help" to appear together?
Gong Young-bae turned his head and gave his answer.
"They're all… good."
"Oh, of course, they're all good. Good stance. But if you were going to date one, who would you most like to date?"
Gong Young-bae's heart beat faster. If he mentioned anyone's name, Han Seong-jin would target the remaining two or the woman he chose. The worst-case scenario was all three. And above all, Gong Young-bae already had his own standards regarding this issue.
"Oh, I'm not dating anyone."
When I heard his answer, a sense of absurdity washed over me.
"You're not going to date anyone?"
"Yes."
"I heard all three of them are good."
"That's right."
"But why aren't you dating?"
"Well, that's my business…"
Gong Young-bae tried to give a reasonable explanation. But I guess he hadn't thought about the fact that that answer could actually stimulate other people's curiosity.
"I need to know why."
"That… Why do you care about that! It's our business!"
"Say it. With words."
When there was no sign of an obedient answer, I used a "Han Seong-jin-like" method. As Gong Young-bae lowered his voice and frowned a little, the fear on his face became even deeper. Han Seong-jin's rugged appearance and large size created a synergy, creating an atmosphere that most students could not resist.
"Fine! Well, that's because if I date someone, the other two might leave me…"
Gong Young-bae barely answered, raising his arms in a defensive stance. When I heard that, I was lost in thought for a moment, then I understood the meaning and was even more impressed.
"What then? Are you saying you're not dating anyone because you don't want the other two to leave? Because you like all three of them?"
"Uh…"
If this isn't fishing, what is it? Is this guy a complete idiot? Although, I am a sheep. If you think about it, there were moments like that in the original work as well. Even though the heroines spoke directly and audibly enough for anyone to understand, Gong Young-bae would respond with, "Huh? What?"
When I saw it as a light novel, I thought he was just a typical naive male lead in a romantic comedy. Now that I've heard this and thought about it, I realize that it was all part of his fishing management. He thought that if he dated just one person, he wouldn't be able to receive the love of the remaining heroines, so he didn't want to do that, so he didn't reciprocate anyone's feelings.
"What the… Hey, haven't you ever thought about them dating someone else?"
"Well, that's not possible. They all said they liked me…"
Gong Young-bae is shy and says something very shameless. He thinks they're all just "caught fish." They will love him forever even if he never reciprocates their feelings? What does this guy think about the human heart?
I wanted to punch him right in the face, but I took a deep breath, calmed myself, and asked the last question.
"Why are you living like that?"
"Huh?"
"Don't you feel sorry for the girls? The girls who only look at you and can't have their feelings returned?"
"Well, I'm a little sorry about that, but…"
Gong Young-bae lowered his gaze to the floor and wiggled his fingers.
"Still… Well, because it felt good…"
"What? Speak clearly."
"They say they like me, and it feels good to be next to them… So…"
"…"
Now I completely understand the situation. Yu-ri Lee, Jeong Eun-ji, and Choi Soo-yeon are all heroines from the original work who like Gong Young-bae. Although it ended with an NTR drift, the main content of "Love in School" was a sweet story about the male protagonist Gong Young-bae and the heroines' struggles.
But this guy, Gong Young-bae… He knew that they all liked him, but he pretended not to know. He thought that if he picked one, he would miss out on the others, so he didn't choose anyone. He didn't want to give up on that idea, so he dragged out the time without giving anyone a clear answer.
Were all the moments when the heroines were heartbroken over unreciprocated feelings, anxious, and keeping each other in check, the result of Gong Young-bae's intentional plan? I couldn't control my anger and raised my fist.
"What a—"
"Hi!"
And as I was about to hit Gong Young-bae on the head, I stopped. What would change if I beat this guy up? Aside from the fact that Gong Young-bae was a piece of trash, would the heroines' feelings be reciprocated if I hit him?
The answer was obvious.
"Get out of here. Go."
"Huh? Go…? Well, then, what we just talked about is a secret…"
"Get lost, unless you want to be left behind."
"!!!"
Gong Young-bae was frightened by my bloody threat and ran away, returning to the auditorium. Yu-ri, his childhood friend, had been scared but had stood up to me to protect the man she liked. But that bastard was hiding behind her and was trying to feel like a harem king by taking advantage of her feelings?
When I first read the NTR drift ending, I thought the writer was making fun of the readers, so I got angry. But now I see there was something else that really made fun of me: the heroines' hearts. These women were using their affection to satisfy themselves and were giving unrequited love to a "fisherman" who was reeling them in without them even knowing.
Originally, I felt sorry for Gong Young-bae, who suffered the NTR drift ending, and planned to serve as a bridge connecting him with his favorite heroine. If he wanted to connect with all three, I was willing to do so. Because every heroine has to be happy.
But my thoughts have changed. I've realized that none of the heroines can be happy with Gong Young-bae.
'Gong Young-bae… this guy doesn't deserve their affection.'
In the original story, "Love in School," no one ended up happy. But this time is different. The original pretended to be a harem romantic comedy and ended with an NTR drift, right? This time, with my intervention, the direction of this story will take a big turn.
"Even if you had said you were dating someone, I had no intention of touching you. But Gong Young-bae, you won't be able to do that anymore."
However, the heroines will not feel sorry or guilty toward Gong Young-bae. There will be no sweet events or painful love stories with him. Because none of the things that happened in the original will happen anymore. All of those girls… I will make them happy.
A Frightened Retreat
"Young-bae! Are you okay? What were you talking about? Did that kid do anything to you?"
"Oh, I'm fine."
Yu-ri Lee looked at Gong Young-bae with a worried expression, checking for any cuts or bruises. Feeling Yu-ri Lee's hand, Gong Young-bae sighed in relief.
'I thought he would try to find out more somehow, but I'm glad he just sent me off with a trivial question. I was scared because he's a famous gangster.'
In the end, he had no idea why Han Seong-jin had summoned him, but since it was over, there was no need to worry anymore. When he saw Yu-ri Lee fussing with a worried expression, he remembered what Han Seong-jin had just said.
—Don't you feel sorry for the girls? The girls who only look at you and can't have their feelings returned?
'Hmph, what do you know about that, you gangster?'
Gong Young-bae cursed at Han Seong-jin in his mind.
'…I like them all, but I don't want to let them go, so why do I have to give a clear answer right away?'
Gong Young-bae decided to enjoy this moment a little longer and bask in everyone's affection. Little did he know that Han Seong-jin had completely changed his mind.