Life at the higher education academy in Love in School was very similar to a regular high school, but it was also very different, perhaps because it was a light novel world. First of all, the biggest difference was that the entrance age was one year older here, and there were no restrictions on students' hair or cosmetics. In terms of facilities, there was a big difference in that there was a swimming pool and swimming classes in the academy annex. Third-year students do not just study like chickens in a coop, like real high school seniors. There are also many refreshing events such as a spring sports day, a fall festival, field trips, and picnics.
The exam schedule is a little different, too. There are only first-semester evaluations, second-semester evaluations, and mock exams, followed by the national college entrance exam in November. Instead of the typical midterms and finals, paper exams are held periodically. Those who don't get good grades or have a poor attitude receive supplementary classes after school.
And…
"Ugh… Why am I like this on the first day of the semester?" Yu-ri Lee sighed deeply in the classroom, frowned, and put her head down.
"The world is going to disappear."
"Because of you!"
After the first day of class, the only people left in the classroom were Yu-ri Lee and me. As punishment for my violent behavior in the morning, I was made to clean and tidy up the classroom for a week. Another thing that's different from the schools I know is that there is no set order for duty. Instead, these problem students are assigned to the cleanup duty. And Yu-ri Lee, who is the student council president, stayed behind at the request of her homeroom teacher to monitor me and give me instructions.
Yu-ri muttered, clearly showing that she didn't want to be here. "The student council president has so much to do… Because of you, I couldn't concentrate on student council work from the first day. What is this? I don't have time, so can you finish this quickly?"
"If you say so, it's in good condition. Did you happen to like me?"
At my words, Yu-ri Lee looked at me with a face that literally expressed the word 'extreme disgust.'
"I hate people like you the most in the world."
"You talk harshly. What happened this morning was really because those bastards did whatever they wanted—"
"Look at this. This is why I hate people like you. You can't even have a conversation without being grumpy and swearing. You came here and gathered to smoke and drink, with no intention of studying at the academy… Do you think I haven't heard rumors about you once or twice? The person on duty to clean up after me is going to sneak up on me if I leave the room. Because it's always been like that. Am I wrong?"
When I saw Yu-ri Lee's fierce and sharp attitude, my heart felt even more satisfied. That way, I can truly make her my woman. I deliberately tilted my head and pretended to think about something before answering.
"You're half right and half wrong."
"Where did I go wrong?"
"First, I quit drinking and smoking. Second, even if you are gone, I will faithfully clean up."
"Ugh… Believe me… Anyway, if I just look away—"
"And if it's a sermon, I think I should be the one to give it."
"What?"
I took long strides toward Yu-ri Lee, who had a dumbfounded expression on her face. Yu-ri Lee took a step back but was quickly pushed up to the classroom wall.
"It's good to be strong, and it's also good to say things confidently."
"W-what are you doing? Why don't you go away?!"
"But shouldn't you do it while considering your own situation? For example, if I do something strange to you here…"
I stretched out one arm and did a wall slam. Yu-ri clutched her neck like a frightened turtle and closed her eyes tightly.
"If there's no one around to help you, wouldn't you be in big trouble?"
"W-w-w-what are you doing…?"
Yu-ri Lee's body was trembling pitifully. I lightly grabbed her chin for a moment and made her look at me. Our gazes met very closely, and I could feel Yu-ri's chin trembling.
"Well, it's just in case."
As I said that, I released Yu-ri Lee and took my arm away from the wall. Yu-ri gasped as she stepped back, putting some distance between herself and me. She stood between the classroom door and the hallway, ready to run if she had the chance.
"I don't care if you curse at me or anything, but just think that it's not me who's here right now, but one of those guys who were messing with you today. If you had been so harsh like before, you might have been in real trouble, right? So from now on, it's better to speak out about something like insurance."
"…"
And at this point, I deliberately pushed a little more.
"For example, him, Gong Young-bae… Oh, no. Instead of providing insurance, that bastard is a swamp that will hold you back."
In an instant, Yu-ri Lee's expression changed sharply.
"What did you just say? What did you say about Young-bae?"
"The swamp that is holding you back."
"…Take that statement back."
"I don't want to."
"Cancel it!"
"He hid behind you when I asked him to talk this morning, and after the school opening ceremony, when my minions were threatening you, he hid behind you again. If that's not a swamp holding you back, then what is it?"
"That's because Young-bae is kind-hearted and doesn't like being in that kind of situation!"
"So you like being in situations like that?"
For a moment, Yu-ri was speechless.
"Gong Young-bae has a good heart, so he shouldn't be in that situation, but you have a bad heart, so it's okay for you to be in a dirty situation? I don't think either of you would like to be involved in something like that."
"Yeah, that's right, but…"
"Tsk tsk, I feel sorry for our student council president. She goes out of her way to protect the man she likes, but that man doesn't even see the student council president as a woman."
Then Yu-ri Lee's face turned red, and she jumped up.
"W-w-what are you talking about?! Why would I like Young-bae?!"
It's written all over her face. I suppressed my laughter and continued speaking.
"A man is an animal who, when he is in front of a woman he likes, will create feelings that were not there before and try to protect them. But after seeing Gong Young-bae today, I thought he thought of you as some sort of mother, guardian, or something like that."
"…"
"Oops, did I hit a nerve, Student Council President? That was too much unnecessary talk—"
"…You didn't do your job to clean up."
Yu-ri Lee growled in a much sharper voice than before.
"I'm done."
"Water in the vase."
"I already gave it water."
"Did you wash the window?"
"You saw me wiping it."
"What about the locker dust? Did you mop the floor? How about cleaning a blackboard eraser? Did you wash the windows? Did you empty the powder into the chalk container?"
"Watch everything I do with your own eyes and then ask questions."
With no room to complain, Yu-ri Lee huffed and glared at me. She then scanned every corner of the classroom with an expression that seemed determined to catch me in a lie. However, I showed off my outstanding life skills and had already finished cleaning the classroom.
'Well, what is it? You did everything really neatly…'
Yu-ri Lee ultimately failed to find any fault with my work. Lee Yu-ri, who looked even angrier, opened her eyes, glared at me, and shouted.
"Then go home!"
"Okay."
Yu-ri Lee stomped her foot on purpose and left the classroom. Now that I had nothing more to do at the academy, of course, I had to go home… It was already 5 p.m. Since the school gate closes at 6, Yu-ri Lee would finish her student council work and leave the academy in at most an hour.
"I should buy dinner in advance."
Instead of going home, I bought a lunch box, bread, and some cola at the convenience store right in front of the academy and wandered nearby to kill time. Not long after, I noticed Yu-ri Lee coming out through the school gate. I pretended to pass by chance and ran into her again.
"What, are you going home now?"
"Eh… Han Seong-jin…"
"I met my classmates, what was their reaction?"
"What classmates? Why are you still here?"
I gently lifted the convenience store bag and showed it to her.
"I was about to buy some dinner."
"Okay, eat well. I'm going home."
Yu-ri Lee looked at the bag silently, then turned her body and walked away. I immediately followed behind her. Less than three minutes after she started walking, Yu-ri turned around again and looked me up and down.
"Why are you following me?"
"I'm not following you. I'm going home."
"…Is your house in this direction?"
"Yeah."
"Tsk…"
Yu-ri Lee openly showed her displeasure and walked very fast, deliberately taking a few steps ahead. Yu-ri Lee must have been quite displeased with me following her, so instead of going to the main street where there were many people, she turned and entered a narrow alley.
'Well, I guess I have to go there.'
I know where the alley that Yu-ri Lee went into is. It's a place that people like us call a "hideout." Because it is dark and sparsely populated, it is a place where many people gather to smoke or drink secretly. Now that I'm twenty, there's no reason to sneak into a place like that, but a year ago, when I was a minor, Han Seong-jin and his gang would gather there to drink and smoke. Not only the Jinsoo-gyo gang comes there, but the iljin members from other academies also like this place, so it is a place where territorial fights often occur.
A girl who wasn't even part of the gang, and a very pretty girl, went into that place alone without knowing anything…
"Aaaah! D-don't you let go of this?!"
As I waited for a while behind the corner of the alley where Yu-ri Lee entered, I heard Yu-ri's scream, as expected.
"She's a very handy girl."
Holding the convenience store bag in one hand, I turned the corner and walked toward where I heard Yu-ri's voice.