The Tough Guy Hides the Villainess

Chapter 14

014 – Only Extroverts Enjoy Parties #3

“Look here! There’s a mini car! Wow, it’s got a gold motor!”

“Isn’t this the ‘Survival Series’? It’s been a long time since I’ve seen this.”

“……”

Changshik, Taeseong, and Deoksun were busy exploring our house, looking at the various items scattered around.

It had been a few days since I returned to this house, but I still hadn’t recalled exactly what was in it, so the junk everyone was discovering was quite welcome.

While we were all exploring the house, Baek Yeoul was circling around me like a broken robot, clattering. It seemed like he wanted to say something but couldn’t get it out, stuck between his palate and front teeth.

How bland.

Since I was Han Namjin, the smartest guy among middle school dropouts, I decided to use a bit of sense.

“If you need to go, you can use the restroom. It’s over there. There’s a bidet too.”

“…No!”

It was Bbangdaengi, who raised his hair like a raccoon hit by cold water. I wondered how he managed his hair when he cautiously began to speak.

“…Ah, I told you earlier. You shouldn’t go to the party at the ‘company building’ because it’s a trap. Do you have any more questions about that?”

So that’s what he wanted to talk about. Seeing him pacing around restlessly, I thought he was someone who needed to go to the bathroom.

Bbangdaengi, who had praised my cooking earlier, started spilling information about Seo Ga-eul.

According to Baek Yeoul, Seo Ga-eul’s party is a kind of ‘trap,’ so you shouldn’t step foot in it.

“If you go, you’ll just… end up embarrassed. So it’s better not to go. Everyone tries to see the good in Seo Ga-eul, but I know what kind of person he is, how cruel he can be. …”

Thanks to Baek Yeoul, who muttered to himself and then fell silent, a calm silence settled between us.

Taking advantage of the quiet, I briefly thought about what I needed to do next.

The answer was simple.

I didn’t know exactly why the party at the company building was a trap, but I had to go there.

Seo Ga-eul said he would give me an answer to my date request there.

He even kindly said he would give me an invitation! It’s a chance to explore Seo Ga-eul’s house.

It will definitely help with my ‘kidnapping’ plan.

“I’m going.”

“He’s clearly trying to make fun of you! You know it’s a trap and you’re still going? Are you a complete fool?”

Failing to persuade me, Baek Yeoul paced back and forth or sighed, not knowing what to do.

Maybe he really needed to go to the bathroom?

“Then… I’ll go with you.”

“You?”

“You don’t even know where the company building is or what kind of party it is. I know. I’ve been there a few times. They’re not memories I want to recall, but… I still have one invitation left…”

“Great. Bbangdaengi, you can guide me.”

“And we made a deal! In return, you have to make sure we earn points together from now on! I want to earn a lot of points and take special classes! I want to control my abilities!”

“Alright. Our interests align.”

Swoosh-.

I extended my hand to Bbangdaengi.

Bbangdaengi looked at my palm, slightly surprised, but then wiped the sweat off his palm on his skirt and grabbed my hand.

It was a delicate hand.

It was so small that it didn’t seem like it carried all the misfortune in the world.

# # #

“It’s a shame. My shift is over, so I should get going. It was really fun reading the Survival Series after such a long time.”

A slightly late afternoon at 8 PM.

Geum Taeseong, who was sitting on an old sofa reading a book, stood up with a long yawn.

I handed a few volumes of the Survival Series to him.

“Take these home, read them all, and return them. They will be really helpful.”

“Oh, you’re lending them to me?”

No joke, thanks to that ‘Survival Series,’ I was able to survive in this ruined world, albeit clumsily.

From purifying dirty water to building shelters, it’s packed with essential information, practically a life bible.

Discussion classes at Yeongsa High? Practical training? All that stuff is unnecessary. It would be better to make that Survival book the textbook for classes.

But only I knew that this world was going to end.

I couldn’t easily reveal it now, not knowing who the ‘traitor of humanity’ was.

‘I think it might be someone around Seo Ga-eul.’

Considering someone managed to approach the highly cautious Seo Ga-eul and inflict a fatal stab wound, the traitor was likely someone close to her.

Maybe I could meet the traitor at this “Company Party.”

“Friend, it’s quite embarrassing to ask, but could you also lend me this mini car? “I have a mini car track at home, and I’d like to run it once and return it.”

It seemed lending the book to the reformed delinquent Taeseong was a signal, as the candy maker Changshik also looked at me with hopeful eyes, holding my cherished mini car.

That mini car was a meaningful and significant gift I received as a child for Christmas, but─.

“Changshik, you can have it!”

My memories vs. unlimited candy.

It was obvious which one held more value.

No matter how many points I earned with Changshik, it was never enough!

“Really? You’re just giving it to me? Then I feel quite shameless. Ahem… In that case, there’s no choice. Next time, why don’t you come over to my house?”

Changshik shouted, blushing as if making a grand confession.

The candy maker Changshik’s house?

If it meant earning points, of course, I had to go.

The only one left was the quiet Deoksun.

Deoksun hadn’t said much all day, but her gaze, hidden by her bangs, occasionally glanced at Geum Taeseong.

Why was Deoksun glaring at Geum Taeseong? As the smartest among middle school dropouts, I knew the reason clearly.

She couldn’t escape the eyes of my 《Emotion》.

# # #

The reason is that Geum Taeseong is reading “Surviving the Apocalypse” and I want to read it right away, but Taeseong’s reading time is taking too long, so I had to wait!

“Taeseong! When you finish reading your survival book, give it to Deoksun. You two can coordinate and read it.”

“Huh, huh…?”

Oh Deoksun seemed very flustered, as if surprised that I said what he couldn’t. His hands and feet moved awkwardly, making him look like he was dancing strangely.

Fortunately, Geum Taeseong is the next coolest guy after me.

“Really? Got it. Then Deokhee, since it seems better to coordinate the book loan schedule, can you give me your number?”

“My, my number? My number… what was it… uh….”

Seeing Taeseong and Deoksun exchange phone numbers, a good idea suddenly came to me.

“Guys, since we’re on the topic, let’s all exchange contact information!”

Actually, I wanted to ask for Candy Maker Changshik’s number, but if I asked only him, people might think, “Why is he getting special treatment?”, “What’s up with him?”, “Turns out he’s a big deal!” and Changshik’s value might skyrocket.

So, like cutting down a forest to fell a tree, I took the opportunity to get everyone’s phone numbers.

“Deokhee, I saved your number.”

“Me… me too.”

“It seems like it will be easier to create a group chat.”

Everyone smiled, not realizing my perfect and cunning plan, which made me laugh too.

“Ha ha ha!”

“Then, see you all at school tomorrow!”

“Yeah, see you tomorrow.”

“Ah… goodbye.”

As everyone returned to their homes and workplaces, our house, which had been so noisy, became quiet as if it was all a lie.

No sound came from the next house or the house in front.

I suddenly remembered lying on the old carpet floor, looking at the stars through the hole in the ceiling. It was so quiet that I wished I had someone to talk to.

That’s why I started talking to myself more.

Beep!

At that moment, my phone rang.

“Bbangdaengi: If you want to apply for the special class, you have to do it before today ends.”

“Bbangdaengi: I’m telling you in advance because you might not know.”

What, it’s a CocoaTalk message from Bbangdaengi.

Special class, huh.

Of all things, the first message I ever received from a girl had to be about my butt. I had been saving my first time for Seo Ga-eul, so I was so frustrated that I was practically foaming at the mouth.

What a complete misfortune!

# # #

“Han Nam-jin, you applied for the ‘Special Class’ this morning, didn’t you?”

“Yes, Captain.”

“It’s not ‘Captain,’ it’s ‘Captain.’ And at least call me Instructor Now, Han Nam-jin and Baek Yeoul, move to the special class lecture room.”

Those who applied for the special class were told that instead of attending the morning ‘theory class,’ they would receive lessons from a special faculty in a special lecture room.

A lecture worth 400,000 points!

If you consider one pack of ramen costs 1,000 won, that’s about 400 packs, which would last roughly 170 days if you ate three meals a day.

A three-hour lecture equivalent to 170 days’ worth of food?

I was so excited about what they would teach that my tailbone was trembling.

Moreover, Seo Ga-eul always attended the ‘Special Class.’ With the company party coming up today, it would be good to score some points by having a conversation in the special lecture beforehand.

So, I headed to the place where the ‘Special Lecture’ was held.

I had imagined a gym filled with barbells and dumbbells or a boxing gym full of sandbags, but instead, I found a laboratory full of machines and monitors.

Many students were already sitting on the soft mats.

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“Hey, Ja-hyun. Isn’t that─.”

“Isn’t he the one who confessed to Ga-eul in the cafeteria?”

Some students recognized me and raised their eyebrows.

Being famous is really inconvenient. I don’t know them, but they feel an internal familiarity and act like they know me.

I had thoroughly practiced my autograph for days like this.

“Why are you whispering? If you want an autograph, just ask confidently. Like a man.”

“What the hell.”

“What a hilarious guy.”

At my question, the male students looked at each other’s faces and burst out laughing.

The only one who didn’t laugh was the guy talking to the pretty girl.

Even sitting down, he had a tall and handsome physique.

The male student was talking to the female student as if I didn’t exist, and now I realized the female student was Seo Ga-eul.

Who dares to talk to Seo Ga-eul without my permission?

Just as I was about to get slightly angry, Baek Yeoul, who had been silent since this morning, tapped my back.

“That’s Wang Ja-hyun. He’s a big shot even in Class F, and his family is very influential. If you want to get along with Seo Ga-eul, it’s good to be on his good side. Never get on his bad side. .”

Get along well?

「Name: Wang Ja-hyun

「Status: 《Two-faced》 – He is very angry at you for flirting with Seo Ga-eul, the girl he was aiming for.」

It seems like he has no intention of getting along with me?

Wang Ja-hyun of Class F pretended not to be interested in me, but in reality, he was getting heated. Being a popular guy sure is tough. Just as I was thinking that, someone entered the special lecture room.

“Alright, everyone, take your seats. Since there are some new faces, let me introduce myself first. I am Instructor Wi Seon-ah. My rank among explorers is 44th out of 1000, and my concept is 4th grade. Impressive, right? Top 10 percent.”

She was a woman who looked like an engineering doctor, wearing a lab coat and goggles.

“Today, we will conduct a 「Special Sparring」. Realizing your limits through sparring is particularly helpful in strengthening your ‘concept’. So, shall we take the first challenger for the sparring?”

Sparring? It seems like 「Special Classes」 involve fighting each other.

Sounds fun.

More than anything, it’s a perfect opportunity to show my good side to Seo Ga-eul over there, isn’t it?

“Me.”

I raised my hand and stood up.

Then I asked Instructor Wi Seon-ah.

“Doctor, can I designate the opponent I want to fight?”

“Designate? Hmm, originally, special sparring is done with the instructor… . But this might not be bad occasionally. “Who do you want to designate?”

Who?

Obviously.

“Wang Ja-hyun. You, come out.”

“What?”