Chapter 20 : Chapter 20

Somehow, it seems like everyone is desperate to feed me something.

Of course, Lee Soo-ah and Yoo Ha-neul had a history.

During the last lunch break, they piled various things on my plate, and in the end, I couldn't finish everything.

It wasn't just that I couldn't eat it.

I tried to stuff it all in my mouth, thinking of their kindness, and almost ended up choking.

Perhaps realizing their mistake back then, Yoo Ha-neul followed me around all day today, handing me small, sweet, high-calorie snacks.

Things like chocolates, caramels, or soft candies.

I was curious about just how much food she was carrying in that bag of hers.

The sweet smell that lingered during every break was enough to make the other kids glance over, unable to resist.

Well, they were still teenagers, after all.

And it hadn't even been a month since they graduated from middle school.

The only difference was that their parents had more money than others.

I didn't know much about the eating habits of teenage girls since I attended an all-boys school, but I'd heard that they weren't much different from teenage boys.

Not that they ate as much as boys, but that's what people said.

So it wasn't strange that they were attracted by the smell.

Still, it seemed their determination not to talk to me was stronger than their desire to get a candy.

Except for when their eyes slightly shifted towards me, there was no big reaction.

Especially those who happened to meet my eyes quickly turned their heads and didn't look this way again.

Well, it didn't really matter to me.

Those kids were probably the kind who would be described as "Female Student 1" in the game, with no name and definitely no CGs.

It meant they had no influence on the story.

…What was it like originally?

Hmm, it varied depending on the route.

In the video I watched, during Shin So-hee's route, things weren't much different from now.

Yoo Ha-neul was ignored by her classmates in a similar way, but she became friends with Lee Soo-ah, who was the only one who talked to her.

Thanks to that, she eventually had a few friends she could talk to in school.

But she was still bullied and, one day, after bumping into Shin So-hee on the street, they grew close.

For the first time, she skipped school and even went on a secret trip without telling her parents.

She discovered what she truly enjoyed and ended up transferring to the same school as Shin So-hee, leaving behind the prestigious but superficial Hwayoung High School.

At first glance, it seemed like just a teenage girl's rebellious phase, but the creator skillfully mixed in their own thoughts on the entrance-exam-driven school life and the superficiality of modern society.

Above all, the process of Shin So-hee and Yoo Ha-neul growing closer and caring for each other was described in such detail that the route was highly praised.

Anyway, in that route, the school kids didn't change much.

When Yoo Ha-neul eventually left Hwayoung High School, some laughed behind her back, but that was all.

Lee Soo-ah only smiled and pretended not to know, delivering a sharp remark that silenced them.

I don't know much about the Lee Soo-ah and Ye Sara routes since the streamer didn't play them.

And… the real problem was Yoon Da-ho's route, which the streamer did play.

In that route, Ye Sara used her power to control the students, bullying Yoo Ha-neul to a much harsher degree.

It wasn't just ignoring her anymore.

She would pour water over Yoo Ha-neul's head while she was sitting in the bathroom or tear her gym clothes and leave filth on her desk.

I don't know the exact details, but in the other two male character routes, Ye Sara acted the same way.

Despite being a character you could romance, she was extremely hated.

Honestly, more people probably watched the streamer's broadcast than actually played the game, so there wouldn't be many who knew about Ye Sara's backstory and sympathized with her.

Well, even if they knew her backstory, with the things she did, it was hard to feel sorry for her.

But you know what?

Honestly, there's something to learn from Ye Sara.

How did she manage to seize and wield that much power?

Ye Sara lived in isolation, completely cut off from society.

She shouldn't have known how to use her power effectively, so how did she manage to control the school students like that?

…Well, I guess that's something I won't know unless I talk to her directly.

I mean, in other novels, when someone transmigrates, they often inherit memories, so why do I only have abilities and nothing else?

"Agh!"

Yoo Ha-neul poked me in the side again.

This time, I turned my head to actually tell her to stop—

And, of course, she popped a piece of chocolate into my mouth.

I was getting used to the light shining from Yoo Ha-neul's face by now.

Or, to be more precise, after facing the results of this ability every day for the past few days, I had learned to control it somewhat.

I wasn't yet able to turn it on and off freely, but if I squinted and stared for a while, the brightness of her face would dim enough for me to at least make out her expression.

And from what I could see, Yoo Ha-neul was beaming, clearly pleased that she had successfully fed me something again.

They say you can't spit on a smiling face.

For some reason, I didn't feel like complaining to her, so I just silently chewed the chocolate in my mouth.

Among the sweetness, I could taste a bit of bitterness.

…Come to think of it, I've never received food like this from a girl my age before.

Now that I think about it, this life isn't all that bad.

Not sure how long it will last, though.

*

During lunch, I also got a candy from Lee Soo-ah, and after class, while heading to the club, I received small pieces of chocolate from the two of them again.

Are they feeding me because I'm not refusing and just eating everything?

Are they treating me like an animal they're feeding?

Well, it's delicious, so I don't really mind.

The pieces they gave were so small that there was no risk of feeling stuffed.

I wasn't too worried about gaining weight.

Since entering Ye Sara's body, I wasn't much of a snacker anyway, and more importantly, Ye Sara's body was so thin that gaining some weight might actually be a good thing.

While it might be too much to suddenly put on a lot of weight, considering her current health, it wouldn't be a bad idea to build up her body a bit for better stamina.

Given that Ye Sara couldn't eat much at once, small snacks like candy wouldn't cause any major problems.

…At least, I hope not?

Honestly, I'm no expert.

The peak moment came after soccer practice with Nam Da-un, when I was lying on the ground, panting.

Suddenly, something was shoved in front of my face.

It was a tumbler with a large straw sticking out of it.

And the one offering it to me was none other than Nam Da-un.

"Drink."

At his sudden words, I silently took the tumbler and drank.

…It tasted like chocolate shake.

Do I look like I love sweet things that much?

"You made a chocolate shake?"

I asked, shaking the tumbler as if surprised.

Nam Da-un responded with a look that said, "What are you talking about?"

"That's a protein shake."

"…Am I working out now?"

"The issue isn't working out, it's your basic stamina. You don't even have the stamina that most people naturally have. Do you just sit around during PE class?"

"…"

I didn't have much to say to that.

Because, honestly, I did just sit around during PE class.

But that wasn't entirely my fault.

PE classes usually involved group activities.

For written exams, the teacher could just hand out the test papers without much interaction.

But for physical activities, both the teacher and the students needed to cooperate.

Especially for things like dodgeball or volleyball, teamwork was essential.

So the teachers just decided to exclude Ye Sara.

And, though I feel a bit sorry saying this, Yoo Ha-neul was also excluded from PE classes, simply because she was the only one who hung out with Ye Sara.

"At least try to move around a little. Regular exercise can help in everyday life, too."

"Yes! I'll help!"

Yoo Ha-neul, who had been listening, raised her hand enthusiastically.

"I'll help too!"

Lee Soo-ah also raised her hand and shouted, then high-fived Yoo Ha-neul.

"Yay!"

Since when did those two get along so well?

Well, moderate exercise does lift your spirits.

It's nice that the kids I see after school are getting along well.

"…At least show half the enthusiasm they're showing. If you're less motivated than the ones helping you, what's the point?"

"Yay…"

I weakly raised my hand, sounding defeated, and Nam Da-un let out a deep sigh.

*

"…Are you planning to jump over the wall again today?"

Nam Da-un, who had followed me all the way to the wall, asked, as if it was nothing new.

"If I go out through the front gate, I'll get caught. So until I get caught here, I plan to keep using this route."

"Saying you'll 'go home' by jumping over the wall sounds a bit odd…"

But Nam Da-un, despite the resigned expression, still helped me.

At least he didn't grumble as openly as yesterday.

"Don't worry. Soon, I'll be able to jump over it on my own."

"With how much you struggled to climb up today, that's hard to believe. Also, don't proudly announce to a senior that you're planning to jump the wall."

"You're already an accomplice."

"…"

Nam Da-un glared at me before suddenly letting go of his hands.

"Wait—"

Unprepared for the fall,

"Eek!"

I let out a weird shriek as I fell down.

Thud.

Once again, the airtime was shorter than expected, and I landed on the ground with a thud.

"…"

"…"

And I found myself making direct eye contact with someone standing right in front of me.

Under the eaves where I had fallen, leaning against the wall, was none other than Shin So-hee.

The tan-skinned blonde gal character, who looked like she had been drawn straight out of an illustration.

"…Since when were you watching?"

"Since you started struggling to pull your legs down."

That meant Shin So-hee had been quietly watching my lower body dangling from the eaves.

And then, she witnessed the awkward sound I made as I fell, after Nam Da-un let go of his hand.

"…"

Well, I guess this is better than having my underwear in her face…

…But still, this was incredibly embarrassing.