43 – Evaluation Battle (5)
– Taehoon, I heard the news.
– Did you cause another accident this time?
Father, no, I did not.
I have changed. Since returning to this school, I have never harassed anyone.
I swear on the cross inside me.
– Please, for the sake of your father, can’t you endure a bit?
– Do you know how much trouble I went through to get you reinstated this time?
Father, please listen to your son. I am truly innocent. If I’ve suffered, it’s because I was the victim. I haven’t done anything to harm anyone since coming to this school. All I did was apply for the evaluation battle against the top student.
Once again, I swear on the cross inside me.
– Taehoon. Clinging to the bloodline as a reason to protect you… It seems increasingly difficult now.
– If another incident occurs that tarnishes our family name in the media.
– Well, I won’t stay quiet either.
Father.
Why don’t you believe me, even you, Father?
I really haven’t done anything wrong.
In fact, I am the victim.
That spoon, it always follows me.
Every day, every time, someone is always lurking behind me.
It might sound like a ridiculous lie, but everything I’ve said is true.
Please, just believe this son’s words for once.
Father!
….
….
….
“hehehe….”
No one believed Kang Tae-hoon’s words. Even his father had abandoned him.
Now, all Kang Tae-hoon had left was himself. He had to prove it on his own. The fact that he was being tormented by a spoon.
If he were still the original Kang Tae-hoon, he would have swung his sword recklessly without caring about such things. That was the fastest solution.
But now the situation was different. It wasn’t a problem that could be solved by simply swinging a sword. It was a matter of pride. He had to let everyone know that he was innocent.
I am not a liar.
To clear this unjust accusation, Kang Tae-hoon decided to take action himself.
“I need evidence… I need evidence.”
There was a clear need to present evidence that he was being spoon-beaten. The easiest way, of course, would be video recording.
Swoosh—
Kang Tae-hoon set up a smartphone stand deep in the bushes. Then, he securely placed the smartphone he had just bought on the stand, along with a large backup battery.
But that wasn’t the end of it. He had set up smartphones, smartphones everywhere in the outdoor training ground. All bought with his own money. It was something only Kang Tae-hoon could do.
“This way, that spoon will be captured in the video without a hitch.”
Cameras were operating everywhere in the outdoor training ground. No matter how remote a place was, it was within the camera’s field of view.
With a satisfied smile, Kang Tae-hoon sat down on the bench.
“Phew.”
Now, all he had to do was wait for the spoon to come here.
Praying that the moment would come quickly, Kang Tae-hoon kissed the cross necklace.
Amen.
***
The next day, after the aftermath. As soon as I entered the classroom, I confidently sat down next to Arna.
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“Eek!”
The moment I put my butt on the chair, Arna jumped in surprise.
“Why are you so surprised? It’s not like a ghost appeared or anything.”
“Ugh….”
Arna couldn’t bring herself to meet my eyes. Her face was contorted, and she could only mumble with her lips.
It was probably because of what happened yesterday.
Thinking about it again, it made no sense. Just because I was chased by Kang Taehoon, she turned me into someone who would soon commit suicide. What kind of misconception could lead to such a conclusion?
I’m curious about what’s going on in Arna’s mind.
“Y-you were wrong from the beginning to go up to the rooftop like that! Just making misunderstandings for no reason…!”
“So, you’re saying you have no fault at all?”
“I-I’m sorry… for causing a commotion on my own…”
There wasn’t much reason for going up to the rooftop. It was just because it was a suitable spot to torment Kang Taehoon, as it offered a clear view of the outdoor training ground. Of course, things got complicated with Arna showing up in the middle of it.
“Is a simple apology supposed to cover it?”
“W-well, then…!”
“At least let me touch those breasts.”
“…!”
Instantly, Arna hugged her chest with both arms.
As if that would hide those breasts. Rather, it made them bulge out even more under the pressure of her arms. In a way, it felt even more provocative.
“You pervert…!”
“Why? You said it yourself yesterday, that it’s okay to touch your chest.”
“T-that’s…! Th-that was just…!”
Incredible, Arna herself said those words. She couldn’t feign ignorance now.
In the end, Arna had nothing to say and buried her face on the desk. She started rolling her legs back and forth.
“Please forget about what happened yesterday…!”
She pleaded with an almost crying voice. She knew what she had done. She had committed a ridiculous act.
“Well, it’s a shame to keep this incident a secret. After all, isn’t it the dark history committed by our hero? Right now, join Every Hunter and…”
“No! I can’t! It’s not allowed!”
Arna suddenly stood up, trying to snatch my smartphone. No way. I quickly turned away.
“You devil! Satan! A person like a demon!”
“Is that the best Arna can do?”
“eeek…!”
You obviously can’t say “bastard, f*cker” out loud. This is a classroom, after all. There are a lot of people watching.
At times like this, even celebrities can’t do much. You have to be careful with your words. If I were Aruna, I would have acted as I pleased, ignoring any consequences or conventional heroics.
In a way, my personality is closer to Kang Tae-hoon’s than Aruna’s.
Of course, I’m probably much kinder than that bastard Kang Tae-hoon.
Maybe.
“Well, how are you going to make me forget about it?”
“Do I have to come up with everything? Use your brain for once.”
“Ugh….”
I don’t really want to spread what happened yesterday to others. Anyway, Aruna is a woman, and I have to protect her.
But I’m not going to do it for free. Isn’t it right to get something in return here?
At least two sour and sweet candies should be enough. One grape flavor and one peach flavor.
“Umm, food! I’ll treat you to a meal!”
“Food, huh? Not a bad idea. What do you want to eat?”
She wouldn’t suggest going to Kimbap Heaven, would she? If that’s true, I’ll use my teleportation skill to burn down the community.
“What do I want to eat…? Just some Kimbap Heaven…”
“…”
“Meat! Of course, we have to get meat!”
Luckily, she had some sense. I wasn’t called a hero for nothing.
But not all meat is the same.
“It’s not pork, is it?”
“Ugh….”
Aruna’s eyebrows twitched for a moment. Then she let out a long sigh, as if disappointed that I couldn’t settle for pork.
“Oh, I see… I’ll get beef.”
“American or Australian?”
“Ah, come on! It has to be Korean beef!”
From two sour and sweet candies to Kimbap Heaven, from Kimbap Heaven to pork, and finally to Korean beef.
This is a huge win for me.
“I’m looking forward to tonight.”
“Tonight? Right away? I have a schedule.”
Schedule? I narrowed my eyes and looked at Aruna. I exerted some pressure.
“Oops! I’ll cancel! I’ll contact you right away and suggest meeting next time!”
Beep. Arna immediately took out her smartphone and made a call somewhere.
“Hello? We have a personal shoot today, right? Could we possibly postpone it to next time? Something really, really important has come up for me! I’m begging you!”
Kids are amusing. Truly, the moment my heart, which had become tense dealing with Kang Taehoon, relaxed.
Indeed, Arna is the best.
Drdrdr—
As the time approached, the classroom door opened, and Instructor Kim Donghak entered. Right on time, he entered like clockwork, even though being 2-3 minutes late is the unwritten rule.
“Before taking attendance, I have something to announce briefly.”
As soon as he stepped up to the podium, Kim Donghak commanded everyone’s attention. Students, who were chatting away, closed their mouths and focused their gaze on Kim Donghak.
“We’ll send it out as a general announcement later, but it won’t hurt to explain it here in advance.”
Kim Donghak continued speaking while looking at a document.
“We’ve received reports of someone suspicious wandering around inside the campus recently.”
“Someone suspicious…?”
Upon hearing that, Arna tilted her head. Other students showed similar reactions.
“Yes. Rumor has it that this person also makes strange noises every night. Has anyone witnessed anything?”
Students shook their heads, not knowing the details.
“Anyway, if you happen to encounter such a person, contact the disciplinary and administrative office immediately. That’s all.”
With that, Kim Donghak returned to his main duty and started calling attendance.
***
“Achoo…!”
Late at night, Kang Taehoon couldn’t withstand the cold and sneezed. Chills began to run through his body.
“Ugh, it’s cold….”
He couldn’t tell how many hours he had been stuck in the outdoor training ground. It had started with a bright and sunny morning. When he came to his senses, the moon had risen, turning it into a night.
Kang Taehoon sniffed while looking at the full moon in the night sky.
“Ugh… Spoon guy… He’s late today.”