NOVEL NEXT Chapter 218
“……You really came, huh?”
That was the first thing the Student Council Chairwoman said when she saw me.
“Of course I did.”
I thought there was no reason to elaborate, so I just said that.
Upon hearing my words, the Chairwoman immediately clutched her head.
“You’re not ignoring me this time.”
“……”
It seemed there was nothing to say in response to that.
“Um, first, let’s ask why you want to become the vice president. You don’t really like this school, do you?”
That’s right. I don’t really like this school.
I don’t know how my feelings might change as time passes, but thinking back to my current impression of Hwayoung High School, it’s hard to imagine reminiscing about the past with nostalgia saying, ‘Ah, those were the good old days.’
It’s so rotten that I miss a normal high school life with no friendships calculated, no factions, and all that nonsense.
“It’s not that I like it, I just want to see how far my nonsense can go.”
So, I torment them.
Well, thinking about it, isn’t it a simple story?
I’m not just beating up someone for no reason; I have at least a minimal reason to do this, and above all, it’s legal. It’s not like it’s forbidden for me to step up to fill in as vice president since the position is vacant.
Moreover, one of the student council members, the Lead Committee Member, even recommended me.
To be honest, while I might want to poke fun at the student council chair, what I really want is to bother the teachers at this school. The truly guilty teachers managed to avoid the spotlight, but those who remained also weren’t completely innocent.
It doesn’t sit right with me to see the well-off school enjoying a comfortable commute while cashing in their salaries.
……That being said, all of this is just the scenario if I genuinely became vice president. I had no real intention of becoming one, nor did I believe the chair would actually put me in that position.
“Um, well…”
The chair was about to say something but eventually bowed her head deeply and said,
“……I’m sorry.”
Hmm.
It definitely seems like an apology is warranted.
The chairwoman was one of the rare individuals who had wronged me directly in this world. She treated me as if I didn’t exist right in front of her.
Of course, that doesn’t mean she did nothing wrong to Sara.
Well, I suppose she had her reasons for acting that way, but still, that doesn’t justify her guilt.
“Please tell me what you’re apologizing for. I can’t understand you if you just say that out of the blue.”
“……Well, it’s…”
The chair went silent for a moment as if pondering, then looked up and said while looking at me,
“I’m sorry for treating you like you didn’t exist when you were right in front of me.”
“…….”
“……”
Uh, is that it?
“Is that all you have to say?”
“……And I’m sorry for not apologizing until now. I should have properly apologized after realizing my mistake.”
Well, with just that, I was willing to forgive her.
Yeah. ‘Was willing.’
To be honest, I thought about just letting it go and getting on with school life instead of hunting each student down for closure. It seemed like Sara wasn’t too preoccupied with that issue either, and I had no desire to drag my mind through it any longer.
The reason I entertained Son Ah-reum’s proposal this way wasn’t that I genuinely planned to become vice president, but rather that I wanted to send an unspoken warning: ‘I can move like this.’
However, at this moment, my mind changed a little.
“Is that apology because I said I’d be the vice president?”
“……”
Exactly. The most crucial reasons for an apology are attitude and timing.
Showing a proper attitude when apologizing to the one receiving the apology is just common sense. Adding excuses or reasons while apologizing isn’t a great idea either, as it might make the other person feel your apology isn’t sincere.
Timing is equally essential. Apologizing right after making a mistake is usually good, as it’s a moment when the other party might still be somewhat understanding. If the anger still isn’t resolved, it’s best to wait a bit and come back with a proper apology when their mood has somewhat improved.
Now, how about this person?
First of all, the timing is completely off. It’s not like this is right after everything happened; rather, it’s several months later that she’s finally apologizing.
Furthermore, she’s apologizing right after I mentioned wanting to be vice president, so her sincerity can’t help but be questioned.
As for attitude… well, I didn’t expect a 2nd-year high school student chairwoman to deliver a profound apology, so whatever.
It would have been better if she had just casually but sincerely accepted me like the football club’s vice president rather than over-analytical apologies.
“Do you think I’m trying to become vice president just to receive an apology?”
“……”
It looked like the chairwoman wanted to ask, ‘Isn’t that the case?’ but couldn’t find the words.
“If you think that way, you’re mistaken.”
I crossed my legs while seated and said.
“The reason I said I’d be vice president is that I want to harass this school. It’s not because I want to receive that half-hearted apology.”
“……”
The chairwoman wore a blank expression at my words. I’m not sure if it’s just my imagination, but her glasses seemed to slip a bit down her nose.
“To put it in two words, it’d be ‘revenge.’”
Of course, to reiterate, I absolutely detest anything bothersome. In fact, I’d be satisfied if I could graduate from this school without any confrontation. I believe that’s the same for Sara.
I’d much rather attend school smoothly without running into others, but… even so, I’m a person, and it’s true that I get irritated when I see perpetrators happily going about their lives without a care.
So, although I wouldn’t openly torment them, I wanted them to tremble in fear while still attending this school.
I want to make them feel like I can get them at any time, and the only reason they’re safe right now is because I’m letting them be.
The power I desire is just enough for people to feel that way.
Well, since the student council chair heard me speaking frankly like this, she wouldn’t think about genuinely appointing me as vice president—
“I-I will!”
“Pardon?”
—I would never have thought that.
The chair swung up from her seat, bowing deeply as she declared.
“I’ll give you the vice president position, so please spare my life…!”
It sounded as though I had come at her with a sword, judging by the way she said it.
I stood there with my mouth agape, staring at the chairwoman silently before I slowly turned my head to look at Son Ah-reum.
She, too, looked just as stunned with her mouth wide open.
“Um, so…”
“If you’re going to do it, the teachers won’t object at all, and out of those still in the student council, no one can do anything to you! Just spare my life…!”
“No, no, no. Wait a second.”
I cut off the chairwoman by pressing down on my nose with my finger.
“So, what you’re saying is that you’ll accept my statement about wanting to be vice president…?”
The chairwoman nodded like a crazed person.
I turned my head again to look at Son Ah-reum.
Son Ah-reum clearly shook her head vigorously with a flustered expression. One stray hair on her head swayed back and forth.
……So that means no one had talked it over with Son Ah-reum?
I let out a huge sigh, rubbing my face in exasperation.
It seems my intimidation worked far better than I thought.
*
I tried to calm the chairwoman down, saying I had no intention of taking her life, but for some reason, she got even more flustered, so I hurriedly ran away.
……Actually, was any of that an act? Was I not scared at all?
There was that one time when I made eye contact, and the person bolted away.
……Did that happen?
Am I just naturally a somewhat anxious person? I distinctly remember the image of a somewhat arrogant but sharp-looking person when we first met.
Son Ah-reum remained in the chairperson’s office. It seems she had decided to take over here for now. Well, among those present, she was the one I had seen for the longest time.
“Sara!”
Someone suddenly yanked at my arm, and it was Ha Neul.
“You were so incredibly sexy!”
Hearing such words about this body could only come off as teasing, but… since Ha Neul said it, it must be quite sincere?
“She really is pretty. Those legs she was crossing.”
Sohee grabbed my other arm and subtly flirted.
But it’s true that Sara has pretty legs.
Hehe.
And Sua, not to be outdone, came behind me for a back hug. I felt her body stick firmly to my back.
“Hey, guys. But this is the hallway, right?”
Right. The four girls had no qualms about displaying their affections even in the hallway.
So, undoubtedly, none of them would release me simply because I said that.
If Sara had been there, I bet the front row might have been filled too.
……What do I do about this?