Chapter 62
03. 3rd Year, Baek I-hae
It was her third year.
Unfortunately, she wasn’t in the same class as Seo Do-gyeom this time, but Ye Eun-seol was with her.
“Crazy.”
He seemed to feel a fresh wave of emotion about school life with Baek I-hae too. Letting out a bizarre exclamation and covering his mouth, he muttered in a low voice.
“You two still haven’t even kissed…?”
Or maybe not. He didn’t seem interested in the class assignments at all.
They were sitting at their desks after lunch, chattering away, when the topic of skinship came up somehow, prompting that reaction.
Even though quite some time had passed, hearing that their relationship hadn’t progressed much left Ye Eun-seol with a genuinely baffled expression.
“Excuse me, but are you elementary school kids?”
Baek I-hae reached out and pinched Ye Eun-seol’s cheek hard. With a grip full of personal grudge, his face twisted satisfyingly.
“We’re still students, you know?”
“Even students do at least a lip bump, you idiots. Wow, I get it from you, but I didn’t expect it from Seo Do-gyeom.”
Noticing the subtle shift in Ye Eun-seol’s expression, Baek I-hae blinked. Then, she wore a shocked look.
‘Come to think of it, since he was originally obsessed with Do-gyeom, he probably experienced more than just kisses.’
Of course, that wasn’t the current story. But the image of Seo Do-gyeom obsessively kissing the original female lead?
It went beyond shock into jealousy, and as Baek I-hae narrowed her eyes thinly, Ye Eun-seol recoiled in disgust.
“Hey, I can roughly guess what you’re thinking, and it’s grossing me out, so could you stop?”
“I’m jealous…! Who are you to take our Do-gyeom’s first… mmph!”
“Is she insane for real!”
Ye Eun-seol’s large hand hurriedly clamped over Baek I-hae’s mouth. Glancing around frantically, he looked thoroughly flustered.
From Baek I-hae’s perspective, it was genuine jealousy, but he thought it was some nasty prank. It hurt a little.
Of course, if she voiced her true feelings, Ye Eun-seol would freak out all over again.
“Don’t think of the me you know as the same person. I’m doing my best with who I am now.”
Did he mean not to equate him with the original female lead?
Baek I-hae inwardly grumbled that it was a simple but tough request, but she nodded politely anyway. With that, the hand covering her mouth fell away.
“But you’re pretty funny too. You were the one who suggested getting a part-time job to make time to talk separately. Except for the beginning, you haven’t even met properly.”
“I couldn’t help it. I didn’t expect them to teach me the work so seriously.”
He sighed deeply, saying that right after high school graduation, he’d probably have to start college and management lessons at the same time.
Still, it was the complaint of someone with a full belly.
“Plus, I didn’t know it was Baek Yeong’s father.”
Seeing his truly despondent face, Baek I-hae gently stroked his head.
Not a full-belly complaint—he was just pitiful.
“What was he like?”
“Just… ordinary. He has charisma, so it’s hard to approach him casually.”
“I heard he decided to step away from the Baek faction affairs. But since he was involved in the past, isn’t that dangerous?”
“Hmm.”
Ye Eun-seol wore a troubled expression at Baek I-hae’s quiet question. Then, he whispered softly.
“It’s unusual to run it directly, but there are quite a few companies connected to the underworld. There’s nothing money can’t do.”
“Your family too?”
“…I’ll exercise my right to remain silent. Honestly, I don’t want to know either. Yours could be backed by some company too.”
In a world where money made anything possible, it sounded plausible enough.
‘Uncle’s a gangster, so he must do scary things.’
She couldn’t carelessly tell him to quit what he was already doing, but if possible, she hoped Seo Do-gyeom wouldn’t enter that world.
“Come to think of it, your grades are better than I expected. What field are you hoping for?”
“Huh?”
“College major, I mean.”
“I don’t really know.”
Ye Eun-seol gave her a look like that was a ridiculous answer, but Baek I-hae was serious.
‘Well, until recently, I was only thinking about returning to my original world.’
Now that she’d admitted she liked Seo Do-gyeom, she supposed she’d have to plan on staying here and living.
Watching the new teacher enter and introduce themselves, Baek I-hae whispered softly.
“I just studied because I had nothing else to do. I like seeing results proportional to my effort.”
“From the way you tutor Seo Do-gyeom, you seem like you’d make a good teacher.”
If she really had nowhere to go, come to his company, he added.
Was this the infamous parachute hiring?
Realizing anew that she had some solid connections nearby, Baek I-hae replied that she’d seriously consider it.
Since it was the first day, they didn’t have proper classes. Self-study time was given, splitting the class into those studying and those chatting.
Ye Eun-seol turned toward Baek I-hae and whispered.
“Has anything changed with favorability or anything since then?”
“Not really. Dating hasn’t changed much dramatically.”
“Maybe the lack of skinship is the issue after all. What about his dad? You said his favorability dropped.”
At the question about Seo I-heum, Baek I-hae fell silent for a moment. Seo I-heum’s favorability, which had dropped because she failed the quest related to Baek Yeong.
She’d been diligently trying for months, but there hadn’t been much change. That in itself was a shock to Baek I-hae.
“It went up by 10, so now it’s 60 or something.”
“It doesn’t rise as much as I thought. No particular changes?”
“Yeah. He’s still kind to me, so I can’t even tell it dropped.”
“Except for introducing that uncle guy, right?”
Baek I-hae nodded quietly. She told Ye Eun-seol about the sudden appearance of this uncle and Jang Seul-gi.
Including Jang Seul-gi’s odd behavior. Now sharing Baek I-hae’s unease about Jang Seul-gi, Ye Eun-seol frowned.
“It’s weird. When I was in your position, Jang Seul-gi didn’t even appear. Plus, calling her a supporting villain is strange too—not just a villain, but a supporting one.”
“Why’s that? The one we have to be most careful of is Baek Yeong, right?”
Baek I-hae blinked slowly.
“The status window just called Baek Yeong the ‘Baek faction boss.’ And I’m the original female lead.”
Writing the main characters’ names from the game in her notebook, Ye Eun-seol said.
“Romances always have villains, and usually, the first one to appear is the supporting villain. That means there could be a main-level villain too.”
The main villain.
Baek I-hae’s eyes trembled slightly. Understanding her reaction, Ye Eun-seol didn’t stop explaining.
“Maybe dealing with that villain is one of the conditions for seeing a happy ending.”
“But we don’t even know who it is.”
“No one comes to mind as suspicious?”
“If I had to say, the guy who targeted me—Baek Yeong’s father—and someone named Do Ha-jun. Baek Yeong told me to be careful of him.”
She didn’t know much about Do Ha-jun, but to explain, she’d have to mention the Shinwoon faction too, so she was about to speak up.
Ye Eun-seol looked behind Baek I-hae. At the same time, Baek I-hae turned her head, and there was Jang Seul-gi, smiling brightly, though they didn’t know when she’d arrived.
She was also in the same class as Baek I-hae, including Ye Eun-seol.
“I-hae, good morning. I’m glad we’re in the same class. Hi to you too, Eun-seol.”
“…Yeah, hi.”
Wondering if she’d overheard the conversation, Ye Eun-seol replied while gauging her reaction. Baek I-hae did the same.
But fortunately, Jang Seul-gi hadn’t heard properly, as she was still smiling. The status window showed no particular warnings either.
“I-hae, can you spare a moment right now? I have something I want to say to you.”
“Can I come too?”
Not wanting to be alone with Jang Seul-gi, Baek I-hae was struggling to keep a straight face when Ye Eun-seol interjected. For a split second, Jang Seul-gi glanced at him.
Looking down at the seated him, it was cold. Though it quickly vanished into an eye smile.
“I don’t mind. It’s up to you, I-hae.”
Jang Seul-gi said calmly. Relieved by that, Baek I-hae was about to suggest the three of them go together when she closed her mouth.
[Supporting Villain, Jang Seul-gi is waiting for Baek I-hae’s response. Please choose an option!
1. Meet alone.
2. Meet with Ye Eun-seol.]
[!Caution!
If you choose 2, Ye Eun-seol’s death will be accelerated.]
It was because of the status window that popped up before her eyes.
