NOVEL NEXT Chapter 20
It seems like the kids are all eager to feed me something.
Of course, Lee Soo-ah and Yoo Ha-neul have a history. Last lunch break, they piled various things on my plate, and I ended up unable to eat it all. It wasn’t just that I couldn’t eat; I tried to force it into my mouth, thinking of their goodwill, and nearly choked.
Maybe realizing their mistake, Yoo Ha-neul has been sticking by my side all day today, offering me small but high-calorie snacks.
Chocolate or caramel, or maybe soft candies.
I was curious about how much food she was carrying in that bag.
The sweet smell wafting around during breaks made the other kids glance over in envy. After all, they were still growing teens, just fresh out of middle school a month ago. The only difference was that their parents had a bit more money than others.
I didn’t know much about the eating habits of teenage girls since I came from an all-boys school, but I heard they are not that different from teenage boys. Sure, they probably don’t eat as much as boys do, but still, that’s what I heard. So, it’s not surprising they were drawn in by the smell.
But it seems they are more determined not to talk to me than to get a piece of candy. Except for a brief moment when their eyes wandered my way, I didn’t get much of a reaction. Especially those who glanced at me and locked eyes quickly averted their gaze and didn’t look in my direction again.
Well, it doesn’t really matter to me. They’re basically background characters with no names, just labeled “Girl Student 1.” Naturally, there are no CGs for them, which means they don’t contribute much to the story.
…Wait, how was it originally?
Hmm, it varies by route. In the Shin So-hee route that I’ve seen in videos, there wasn’t much difference from now. Yoo Ha-neul used to be ignored by others in class, but eventually befriended Lee Soo-ah, leading to her having a few friends to talk to at school.
However, she still faced bullying at school, and one day she bumped into Shin So-hee, leading to her first time skipping school and traveling without her parents, finding what she truly loves, eventually abandoning the shiny but vacant Hwayoung High School to transfer to the school Shin So-hee attends.
At a glance, it looks like just a teenage girl’s adventure, but the creator cleverly mixed in thoughts about a society that only cares about exam-oriented school life and the appearance over inner worth, while detailing the gradual bond between Shin So-hee and Yoo Ha-neul that garnered positive evaluations.
Anyway, in that route, the school kids don’t change much. Later, when Yoo Ha-neul decides to leave Hwayoung High School, the scene where Lee Soo-ah smiles and says something to silence the laughter behind her is about it.
I’m not sure about the Lee Soo-ah and Ye Sara routes since the streamer didn’t play them.
And… the issue lies with the other route that the streamer did play, the Yoon Da-ho route.
In that route, Ye Sara uses her power to tightly control the school students, going beyond mere bullying to pouring water on Yoo Ha-neul’s head while she’s sitting in the bathroom or tearing gym clothes or putting filth on desks, truly stepping up her game.
I don’t know the exact details, but it seems Ye Sara behaves this way in the other two male character routes as well, making her a character that, despite being someone you can pursue, ends up being hated. Honestly, more people likely saw her through that streamer’s broadcast than actually playing the game, so few are likely to sympathize with her backstory.
Well, even if they know her backstory, her actions were such that sympathy for her would be hard to come by.
But, you know what?
Honestly, there is something admirable about Ye Sara.
How on earth did she manage to wield power like that?
Ye Sara had lived practically isolated from society. How did a girl who didn’t even know how to use power manage to get control over her peers at school?
…Well, I guess I won’t know unless I talk to her.
I mean, in other novels, you often inherit memories when you reincarnate, so why do I only have this one power?
“Ah-huh.”
Yoo Ha-neul poked me in the side again, and this time I genuinely turned my head to tell her not to—
But once again, she happily popped a piece of chocolate into my mouth.
I was getting somewhat used to the glow emanating from Yoo Ha-neul’s face. Or rather, after encountering the results of this ability every day for the last few days, I seemed to have learned how to control it a bit. While I couldn’t freely turn it on and off yet, by squinting a little and watching closely, I managed to dimly see her facial expressions.
And upon seeing Yoo Ha-neul grinning because she had given me something to eat, I felt a slight sense of pride.
They say you can’t spit on a smiling face.
For some reason, I felt reluctant to complain to that smiling face, so I silently chewed on the chocolate in my mouth.
Amid the sweet taste, I could feel a slight bitterness.
…Now that I think about it, I haven’t had someone my age feed me something like this before.
Thinking about it, this lifestyle doesn’t seem that bad after all.
Not sure how long it’ll last, though.
*
I also managed to snag a piece of candy from Lee Soo-ah during lunch, and after class, I received more pieces of chocolate from the two while heading toward the club room.
If I kept accepting without refusal, were they going to keep giving? Were they treating me like a pet?
Well, since it tastes good, I didn’t mind much. The pieces they offered were genuinely small, so there was little reason to feel bloated.
I wasn’t worried about getting fat. Ever since stepping into Ye Sara’s body, I hadn’t been someone who snacked often anyway, especially since Ye Sara’s body looked worryingly thin. Piling on the pounds immediately could actually cause health issues, so it wouldn’t do, but for my future movements, I needed to prepare my body to some degree.
Since Ye Sara couldn’t eat large amounts at once, eating small snacks or candies wouldn’t put too much strain on the stomach. …I hope that’s true? Honestly, I’m not an expert, so I’m not sure.
The climax came as usual after a vigorous game with the soccer team and Nam Da-un.
While panting and sprawled out on the ground, something suddenly came into view.
A tumbler with a big straw sticking out.
And the person presenting that cup was none other than Nam Da-un.
“Drink.”
Caught off guard by the unexpected words, I silently accepted it and took a sip.
…It tasted like chocolate shake.
Do I really look like someone who loves sweet stuff?
“Did you make a chocolate shake?”
When I shook the tumbler in surprise, Nam Da-un replied with a confused look.
“That’s a protein supplement.”
“…Am I hitting the gym or something?”
“It’s not about the gym; it’s about your basic stamina. You don’t even have the strength others naturally possess. You’re not just sitting around doing nothing during PE class, are you?”
“…”
If he put it that way, I couldn’t argue. I really have been doing nothing during PE class.
But that wasn’t entirely my fault.
Most exercises we do in PE aren’t things you can do alone. If it’s just sitting at a desk taking a test, a teacher could just pass around the exams quietly. But when grades depend on physical activity, both students and teachers have to cooperate. Plus, if it’s activities like dodgeball or volleyball, cooperation with other students becomes essential.
So teachers chose to simply exclude Ye Sara from PE.
And to be a bit apologetic about it, Yoo Ha-neul had been tacitly exempt from PE because she was the only one in our class who associated with Ye Sara.
“Just try to move a little, at least. Regular exercise helps in everyday life too.”
“Yes, I’ll help!”
Yoo Ha-neul, who had been listening to our conversation, raised her hand high.
“I’ll help too!”
Lee Soo-ah raised her hand and shouted, then high-fived Yoo Ha-neul.
“Yay!”
Since when did they get along so well? Well, proper exercise does boost the mood. If the kids I see every day after school are friendly, it’s better for me too.
“…At least show a fraction of the enthusiasm these girls show. If the ones who are supposed to help you are more motivated than you, what’s the deal?”
“Yay…”
When I raised my hand slightly and made that deflated sound, Nam Da-un let out a deep sigh.
*
“…Are you thinking of hopping the wall again today?”
Even though I didn’t say anything, Nam Da-un came right up to me and asked unexpectedly.
“If I go out through the main gate, I’ll get caught. So, for now, I’m planning to use this way until I get caught.”
“Saying you’re ‘going home’ this way feels a bit off…”
Still, Nam Da-un was earnestly helping to a degree. Although he looked resigned, at least he wasn’t openly complaining like yesterday.
“Don’t worry. Soon, I’ll be able to hop over by myself.”
“Given how much you struggled just to get this high, I don’t trust you at all. And don’t you dare declare you’re going to hop the wall to your seniors.”
“We’re already accomplices.”
“…”
Nam Da-un glared at me deeply and then suddenly let go of my hand.
“Ah, wait—”
Before I could prepare to drop, I suddenly went, “Ugh!”
And with a strange scream, I fell.
Thud
Like yesterday, I was taken aback by the surprisingly short time in the air and landed.
“…”
“…”
Then I locked eyes with the person directly in front of me.
Underneath the eaves where I fell, leaning against the wall, was none other than Shin So-hee, the blonde, tanned gal character straight out of a drawing.
“…What did you see first?”
Since the moment I was groaning while lowering my legs.
In other words, Shin So-hee had been silently watching my lower half dangling from the eaves. Then she witnessed me wiggle and fall with a strange sound when Nam Da-un let go.
“…”
Well, I guess it’s better than having my underwear flashed right in her face…
…But still, I couldn’t help feeling embarrassed.