Chapter 7
<Episode>
First, Seo I-heum loses his life because of a spy. (Within this year!)
Second, Due to Seo I-heum’s death, Seo Do-gyeom steps into the underworld early on. (He meets the female protagonist in his second year, so it seems like it happens after that…?)
Third, Once he becomes a second-year, the female protagonist transfers in, and a lot of incidents occur. (I don’t know about anything beyond the kidnapping episode.)
“That’s all I can think of for now.”
She stared blankly at the neatly organized notes she’d written in her notebook.
Right now, Baek I-hae was staying in her room after school had ended.
‘Trying to organize this in the classroom was impossible because Seo Do-gyeom’s gaze kept bothering me.’
It was ridiculous how he’d been giving her those strange looks ever since she’d cracked that little joke.
Pushing thoughts of Seo Do-gyeom aside, she fixed her eyes on the notebook.
‘This is definitely the game I was playing right before I possessed this body, so why can’t I remember the details so strangely well?’
She tilted her head in confusion, wondering if her memory was really that bad. That’s when something faint began to appear in the empty air.
It flickered into view with a static-like crackle—it was a status window.
‘Why now, when Seo Do-gyeom isn’t even here?’
The status window had always appeared only when Seo Do-gyeom was around, so this was unusual.
Unlike before, this one drew attention with its flashy colors, and at the top, it read “Quest.”
[Sub-Quest Activated!
‘Raise Seo I-heum’s favorability! Try changing the future of the one destined for death.’
Success: Seo I-heum’s favorability +10, Seo Do-gyeom’s favorability +1, Seo-yeol’s favorability –100
Failure: Seo I-heum’s death, Designated as the spy’s next assassination target.]
“Wow, and they call this a reward?”
The penalty for failure was brutally intense, true to the game’s original level of severity, while the rewards were pathetic.
Seo Do-gyeom’s favorability only going up by 1 was laughable enough, but Seo-yeol’s favorability actually dropping into the negative? Thinking she’d misread the plus sign, she rubbed her eyes and let out a hollow laugh.
“Who the hell would do a quest like this!”
Irritated, she kicked the desk and flung herself back in her chair. It creaked as the backrest smoothly reclined.
‘I’ll probably have to do it anyway because of the penalty, damn it! Am I really possessed into a game? And of all people, an ordinary girl like me?’
She ground her teeth and let out a deep sigh. As she leaned back, her gaze shifted to the ceiling, and in sync, the status window reappeared there.
Frowning, assuming it was the same content as before, she noticed the text had subtly lengthened.
[Sub-Quest Activated!
‘Raise Seo I-heum’s favorability! Try changing the future of the one destined for death.’
Success: Seo I-heum’s favorability +10, Seo Do-gyeom’s favorability +1, Seo-yeol’s favorability –100, Unlimited allowance provided by Seo I-heum.
Failure: Seo I-heum’s death, Designated as the spy’s next assassination target.]
“……”
The rewards had been updated.
Seeing the added ‘Unlimited allowance provided by Seo I-heum,’ Baek I-hae allowed a slight smile to curve her lips.
“Well, that changes things. Why didn’t you lead with that?”
But despite her cheerfully uttered words, her eyes remained calmly composed as she gazed at the status window.
‘It changed in real-time based on what I said. That means it’s observing my actions live.’
And the one doing the observing was most likely the mysterious entity that had sent her here.
She didn’t know exactly what the other party wanted, but her instincts told her that letting on that she’d noticed wouldn’t do her any good.
Humming a little tune as if in high spirits, Baek I-hae rose from her seat.
‘No. From what I saw last time, it seems like it can read thoughts too. Pretending not to know might be pointless.’
She was alone in the room. That meant no one would think it odd if she talked to herself.
After standing there in brief contemplation, Baek I-hae followed her gaze to the status window hovering in the air and glared at it.
Then, slowly, she opened her mouth.
“What’s the purpose of bringing me here? I know you can hear me, so answer.”
[Success: Seo I-heum’s favorability +10, Seo Do-gyeom’s favorability +1, Seo-yeol’s favorability –100, Unlimited allowance provided by Seo I-heum.
Answer to Baek I-hae’s question.]
Another reward had been added.
“So, if I want to find out, I have to succeed at the quest first, huh.”
She’d figured it wouldn’t give a straightforward answer, but the feeling of being toyed with made her click her tongue in annoyance.
The status window vanished, as if it no longer saw the need to converse with her.
After glaring at the empty space for a moment, she twisted her lips into a smirk, one laced with clear mockery.
“Get ready to spill everything, you damn status window bastard.”
And for good measure, she flipped off the empty air.
Even after that, she continued to ponder what to do next, but no plausible plan emerged.
‘To begin with, I’ve only just arrived here—it’s tough for me to gather information. If I rashly claim there’s a spy, I’ll be the one under suspicion.’
She might even end up targeted by the spy who’d overheard the conversation. Hasty actions were out of the question.
Then, she entertained the presumptuous idea of training Seo I-heum so he wouldn’t go down easily.
‘Even if not full training, sharpening his reflexes to make him more vigilant would be good.’
Baek I-hae brightened at her own clever thought, her eyes sparkling.
Knock knock.
It was then that the knock came at the door.
“Baek I-hae, it’s dinnertime.”
A low voice filtered through. It was Seo Do-gyeom, who had come to fetch her every mealtime since the first day.
Baek I-hae let out a sigh and headed to the door. When she opened it, there he stood with his impassive face.
“I told you, you don’t have to come get me—I can make it on time by myself.”
“You’re a guest, so I have to look after you.”
“That damn guest thing! I’ve memorized the way already, you know?”
“It’s dangerous.”
What could possibly be dangerous about going from the third floor to the first?
Baek I-hae resolved to leave before Seo Do-gyeom could come for her starting tomorrow morning, and followed him out.
Seo-yeol had clearly gone ahead, not wanting to walk with her. As they stepped into the elevator side by side, silence descended.
“Can I ask you something?”
Baek I-hae, who hated the quiet, spoke first. Seo Do-gyeom’s gaze fixed on her without a word in response.
“Who’s the subordinate you trust the most?”
“Why are you asking that?”
“The one you trust most would be like your number two, right? I want to remember his face so I can make a good impression.”
She smiled impishly, but in truth, it was to glean a hint related to the quest.
Seo Do-gyeom stared at her intently, as if trying to discern her intentions, but soon averted his eyes from her grinning face. He still seemed to dislike seeing her smile.
“It’s the person always by my side. You met him when you first arrived.”
She remembered that guy. The burly man who’d been there when she first came to introduce herself, and who always held his post during meals too.
Seo I-heum was tall with broad shoulders, but this man was even bigger, built like a bear.
‘Based on looks alone, he’d be the boss. So, is he the one who betrays?’
It was a plausible deduction, since it was natural for him to be close by. With a resolve to stay alert, she moved her feet, and before she knew it, they’d arrived at the dining room.
As Seo Do-gyeom headed to his seat and Baek I-hae turned toward the opposite side, she glanced over discreetly.
Seo I-heum was seated at the head of the table, and against the wall stood the bear-like guy with his arms crossed behind his back.
‘That’s him.’
The scar above his eyebrow and his rugged, menacing face screamed culprit.
When Baek I-hae narrowed her eyes and glared, for a moment, the man’s gaze met hers.
‘Whoa, that’s terrifying!’
It felt like locking eyes with a starving beast—her whole body froze in an instant. She hastily looked away, sat down, and rubbed her arms where goosebumps had risen.
Her intuition was screaming that this man was undoubtedly the spy.
“Are you cold?”
Seo I-heum glanced at Baek I-hae rubbing her arms and asked bluntly. It didn’t feel like concern—more like polite inquiry.
“No. I just suddenly remembered something that gave me chills.”
“……”
His look seemed to say, ‘Right before eating?’ It was expressionless, yet somehow she was starting to read his inner thoughts more and more—it was baffling.
Baek I-hae smiled awkwardly.
“Everyone, eat comfortably.”
Since the first day, Seo I-heum no longer picked up his utensils first, but he always said that.
Sometimes he’d eat slowly while reviewing documents from his organization members—it seemed like his way of being considerate.
Thanks to that, Baek I-hae comfortably picked up her utensils and began eating, gazing at Seo I-heum as he silently perused the papers.
With his glasses on, his long lashes cast downward, he gave off a different vibe from usual.
‘How can I get him to be more wary of his surroundings?’
She was deep in thought about her objective when it happened.
As if on cue, a status window notification popped up.
[Baby Gangster, Seo Do-gyeom loses his appetite at the sight of the side character showing interest in his father.]
‘No way, is that guy still thinking about that? Sure, I thought he was handsome, but still!’
He barely ate much to begin with because of his small appetite, yet blaming it on her was absurd.
Plus, she hadn’t felt his gaze—when had he been staring again?
Sighing inwardly and deciding to ignore it, Baek I-hae addressed Seo I-heum.
“Sir, I have a request.”
“Speak.”
“You won’t hit me or kill me if I do something weird, right?”
She planned to launch surprise attacks from behind to get him used to unexpected assaults, but his reaction scared her.
So she’d tested the waters casually. He clicked his tongue while looking at the documents, then lifted his head to meet her eyes.
“……So that’s the image you have of me inside. For someone like that, your actions are pretty brazen.”
Wait, so does that mean he will hit her, or he won’t kill her?
His evasive response, not giving the answer she wanted, made Baek I-hae pout her lips.
