Chapter 13 : Chapter 13

Today, like always… even though it's only my second day of working out, I still couldn't resist Yoo Ha-neul and Lee Soo-ah's insistence, so I came to exercise again.

As a result, I ended up like dried fish once more.

In a few days, becoming a dried fish like this would definitely become routine for me.

Especially since I had to be mindful of Yoo Ha-neul's gaze.

I lay sprawled on the urethane floor, gasping for breath for a while before barely coming to my senses.

Once again, I collapsed after just one lap around the field.

Yesterday, I couldn't run because I ate too much, but today I couldn't run properly because I ran yesterday.

My arms and legs hurt even before I came here, so there was no way I could run properly.

Of course, even putting all the excuses aside, the fact that Ye Sara's stamina was terrible remained unchanged.

After gasping for a long time, I finally came to my senses and saw the faces of three people looking down at me.

Just like yesterday, Yoo Ha-neul and Lee Soo-ah were looking down at me with worried expressions.

"…I'm not okay."

I answered before they could even ask.

"Yeah, you definitely don't look okay."

Nam Da-un looked at me and said that.

"Well, that's how it is for people exercising for the first time in their lives."

Well, that's true.

Nobody has perfect stamina from the start.

"…"

For sure, every time Nam Da-un looked at me, he made a "tsk" sound, but he didn't seem to harbor any clear malice toward me.

At least, he seemed less indifferent than the kids who treated me like I was invisible.

His messy blonde bangs were swept back, which honestly gave off a vibe that would classify him as a "delinquent character" in a world like this.

Yet, he seemed to properly participate in club activities.

Usually, the sports club is made up of diligent guys.

Well, characters like this often have oddly diligent traits.

They might skip school or be late sometimes but still act confident.

Or it's a cliché for delinquent characters to turn diligent due to some turning point in their lives.

"…"

I stared intently at Nam Da-un and suddenly spoke up.

"Senior."

"What?"

As expected of Nam Da-un, he answered me brusquely.

But I knew how amazing it was that he even responded at all.

Since coming here, I hadn't intentionally spoken to the kids, but even if I had, I didn't expect them to answer properly.

"Have you ever skipped class?"

"What are you talking about all of a sudden?"

At my random question, Nam Da-un made a dumbfounded expression.

"Sara?"

Yoo Ha-neul looked at me and Nam Da-un in surprise, alternating between us.

"Hey, it's not like that. I've never done that."

Nam Da-un quickly cut off the conversation when his eyes met Yoo Ha-neul's.

"Well, with your dyed hair and messy style, you look like someone who might've skipped a few classes."

"So, what the heck are you talking about from earlier?"

Nam Da-un, who was now being teased by a junior he was helping, looked at me incredulously.

Still, he didn't show any hostility toward me.

Is it because he thinks I'm weak?

Or is it because Nam Da-un is naturally kinder than others?

Well, maybe it's a bit of both.

"If I'm a delinquent because I'm blonde, then what about her?"

"I, I'm naturally blonde!"

Nam Da-un pointed at Lee Soo-ah.

"Oh, is that so? Sorry."

Nam Da-un apologized immediately after hearing Lee Soo-ah's answer.

Watching Nam Da-un awkwardly clear his throat, I managed to sit up.

I didn't have the strength to stand up yet, so I sat with my legs stretched out and my upper body propped up.

"Or, do you really just like that hairstyle?"

"Why would I keep it if I didn't like it? You know, you sound like you're picking a fight."

Nam Da-un pushed his hair back as if to say, "Someone like you wouldn't even be a challenge," but his face still had a glow about it.

Hmm.

Is it really a kindness toward me?

Or is it my ability to see people's true nature at work again?

Honestly, I didn't think it was necessary to have a deep relationship with Nam Da-un.

It wouldn't be bad to have a good relationship, but it's not as important as the key I have in Yoo Ha-neul.

Moreover, Ye Sara in the original story never had a good ending tied to male characters.

In that sense, identifying those with personalities that wouldn't easily "break" would help increase my survival rate.

Including the glowing faces in front of me.

"Alright, I'll believe you."

"It's not about whether you believe me or not… Ah, whatever."

Nam Da-un sighed deeply and put his hand on his forehead.

"Then, may I ask one question to a senior who's been here a year longer than me?"

"…Sure."

I decided to ask Nam Da-un, who hadn't lost the will to talk to me, the question I'd been thinking about for a while.

"Is there an easy fence to climb over at this school?"

"…What?"

*

"Oh, I see. You didn't get in that car by choice…"

Before I knew it, Yoo Ha-neul, Lee Soo-ah, and Nam Da-un had all sat down around me.

Technically, others could use this area, but most students here didn't even think about approaching me.

If you called it bullying, it would seem pretty awful, but if you saw it as a convenient situation to take advantage of, it wasn't that bad.

In fact, the other soccer club members were glancing at us from a distance while minding their own business.

Nam Da-un, shouldn't you be going?

Though, if he doesn't need to, that's probably why he's still sitting here.

"Yeah. If I go out through the front gate, there's always a car waiting for me. So I have no choice but to get in."

"So you're planning to escape by jumping over the fence?"

Nam Da-un asked in disbelief.

I shrugged and replied.

"Why not? Walking home for a day wouldn't be so bad."

Surprisingly, Lee Soo-ah's eyes sparkled as she looked at me.

"Escaping from those who oppress you… That's cool."

No, it's not that dramatic, is it?

Well, at least no one's stopping me.

"Senior! Is there a way to help Sara?"

Yoo Ha-neul, after hearing how I was forced into the car, cried out passionately and turned to Nam Da-un.

When Yoo Ha-neul leaned in, Nam Da-un flinched and leaned back slightly.

I hadn't gotten a good look at Yoo Ha-neul's face since coming here, but she must be pretty by the standards of this world filled with beautiful people.

After all, playable female characters in dating sims are usually quite attractive.

To be paired with the sons of Korea's top groups, the logic had to be solid.

"Well, it's not impossible to help…"

Nam Da-un sighed deeply and said.

"There's a fence at the back of the school that's not too high. When I stand in front of it, it's about here."

He gestured to his collarbone area with his hand.

That's probably just about the height of Ye Sara's head.

"So, if I really try, I could climb it. But that's just for climbing. Getting down might be a bit higher. Can you make it with your stamina?"

"Someone can just lift me over."

I answered confidently, and Nam Da-un looked dumbfounded.

"Who?"

"…"

I looked back and forth between Nam Da-un, Yoo Ha-neul, and Lee Soo-ah.

"Me?"

"I'm okay with it!"

Yoo Ha-neul raised her hand high in approval.

"I wanted to walk home with Sara at least once!"

"Me, me too…"

Lee Soo-ah said in a small, hesitant voice.

"…"

Looking at the three of us, Nam Da-un sighed deeply again and rubbed his face.

*

"I'm definitely not climbing the fence, so you guys go ahead."

For someone with a face perfect for fence-climbing.

I thought that but didn't say it out loud.

Even though I'd been pestering him earlier, it would be rude to say that to someone who came to help.

Even if I had already done plenty of that earlier.

Nam Da-un seemed to read my mind though and glared at me.

But since I didn't say it aloud, he didn't voice any complaints either.

"Here."

We climbed a sloping path deeper into the school grounds, and soon we arrived at the spot Nam Da-un had mentioned.

The school entrance starts at a lower elevation, but as you wind your way along the paths, the terrain gradually rises.

The fence's absolute height remains the same, so when you reach the highest point, it becomes low enough for a decently tall person to look over it.

Fortunately, the height difference wasn't too great on the other side.

"Are you really going to climb over here?"

Nam Da-un asked for confirmation one more time.

"Yes."

I might not be able to climb it every day, but it wouldn't hurt to know a few escape routes just in case.

There could be a time when I'd need to make a run for it mid-class.

Since I'm already being forced to build up stamina, it wouldn't be a bad idea to secure escape routes that I could manage with Ye Sara's physical capabilities.

Maybe I should look for a crawl space next.

"You two as well?"

"Yes!"

"Yes!"

With Yoo Ha-neul and Lee Soo-ah responding in unison, Nam Da-un sighed deeply and placed his hand on his forehead again.

*

"Alright. Now swing your leg over the fence."

Nam Da-un said as he held onto my arm tightly.

"You're not going to let go, right?"

"What are you saying? You're the one who said you'd climb the fence. Yeah, I won't let go, so just get your leg over."

I gulped nervously and swung my leg over the fence.

"Whoa!"

"Oh, didn't I tell you? There's an overhang past the fence. Your feet probably won't reach it."

"How could you say that just now?!"

I shouted as I flailed my legs, but just as Nam Da-un had said, there was nothing for my feet to reach.

Nam Da-un and I were now standing on opposite sides of the fence, facing each other.

I had my upper body almost completely over the fence while my legs dangled below, and Nam Da-un was gripping my forearms tightly.

If Nam Da-un let go, I would fall straight under the roof overhang.

"Well, don't worry. It's a little higher than it looks from here. You probably won't get hurt even if you fall."

"Wait!"

"What now?"

"Th-thanks."

At my belated expression of gratitude, Nam Da-un stared at me with a blank expression.

…Was my thank-you too late?

As I pondered, Nam Da-un smirked.

"Alright then, off you go."

With that, Nam Da-un let go of my arms.

And naturally, I slid down the fence onto the roof.

"Yikes!"

Before I could even realize I was falling, my feet touched the ground with a soft thud.

"…"

The fence was so low that it made my scream feel ridiculous.

It's not that I didn't trust him, but still.

"You could've given me a heads-up before dropping me!"

I shouted, and from the other side of the fence came an annoyed voice.

"You asked me to drop you!"

…Well, I suppose it's wrong to snap at someone after asking for help.

I sighed and lowered my gaze, trying to get a sense of my surroundings.

But before I could even look around, I froze.

"…"

The front of my skirt was lifted up.

To the point that if this were a different genre, I might've thought something was hanging there.

As I stiffened and stepped back, my school skirt slid down, revealing what was underneath.

Crouching before me was a golden-tanned blonde high school girl who looked as if she had been drawn in a picture.

Her long, blonde hair reached down to her back, though the roots had begun to darken where new hair had grown.

Her skin was a light brown, and she had a piercing in her right ear.

The shirt under her vest was unbuttoned three times, leaving it open from the vest upward.

She had noise-cancelling earbuds in her ears, and the lollipop in her mouth was about to drop out as she stared up at me, her face flushed bright red.

Specifically, she was looking at where my underwear would have been.

Her face shone like those of Lee Soo-ah or Nam Da-un.

…Meeting the final heroine of this game was good, but…

Why here?!

And in this way?!