Chapter 140
Perhaps Han Bori told herself it was fine this time, too. After all, he was her precious friend’s younger brother. Maybe she was extending to him the same indulgence she showed Yoon Sohee.
If Yoon Sojun was taking advantage of that, then Bori truly was in need of help.
But—
“Hey, Sohee. Did you know Sojun’s been calling Bori to his room?”
“Really? I didn’t know. You think he would?”
“……”
Sohee’s indifferent response was unmistakably the face of someone who already knew. Entering a dormitory of the opposite s*x meant expulsion—a severe punishment—so this wasn’t something she could reasonably brush off so lightly.
After that, every time I ran into Han Bori, my heart felt heavier. Maybe it was just my imagination, but it seemed like her complexion was getting worse by the day.
“Hey! Han Bori got caught!”
And then, one day, it happened.
After lights-out, Han Bori was caught on the spot while heading to Yoon Sojun’s room.
Technically, going to the opposite-s*x dormitory meant expulsion. But in reality, it had never actually been enforced before. So I assumed that even if she were caught, it would end with a suspension at most.
I was wrong.
Han Bori was expelled.
At the time, news had just broken about s****l misconduct between students at another boarding school, putting parents everywhere on edge. Our school—already accustomed to pressure from influential parents—seemed to have decided to make an example of her.
But Han Bori was clearly the victim. Yes, it was possible she had gone of her own accord. But realistically, the chances were slim. At the very least, I felt that the teachers, who had no understanding of the power dynamics involved, needed to hear what I had seen and heard.
However—
“Sohee, about Han Bori…”
“Ah, let’s not talk about that.”
“…Okay.”
The reason I couldn’t stand up to Yoon Sohee.
Following the admissions trends at the time, I was conducting research under Sohee’s father, a professor, with his support.
My goal was to have my name listed as a paper’s author before submitting my college applications. I couldn’t afford to sour my relationship with Sohee and accusing the professor’s son was completely out of the question.
At some point, Sohee and I, too, had ended up standing on uneven ground.
“Waaah!”
On her last day, after being forced to transfer schools, Han Bori cried her heart out on the athletic field—sobbing as if she were trying to drain every last drop of moisture from her body.
As the memory resurfaced, I looked toward the person who had just called out Bori’s name. A girl with long black hair and a velvet headband.
Yoon Sohee.
“You know—chocolate roll and strawberry milk, right? And a chili burger too! Microwave it for thirty seconds, take it out, open the wrapper, then another thirty seconds. Don’t forget!”
“Okay.”
The reply came from behind me. When I turned around, I saw a bob-haired student who looked like she’d just stepped out of my memories.
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I followed Han Bori. On the way to the convenience store, she kept muttering to herself.
“Thirty seconds, take it out, then thirty seconds again. Thirty seconds, take it out, then thirty seconds again.”
Fidgeting with her fingers, she repeated it like a mantra. Once we arrived, she relayed Sohee’s order word for word to the shop attendant.
“One chocolate roll, one strawberry milk, and one chili burger, please.”
Instead of approaching her right away, I stayed a step behind and watched. Burger in hand, Bori walked over to the microwave in the corner.
“Thirty seconds, take it out, then…”
To be honest, I’d heard she had borderline intelligence, but I’d never really felt it before. There’d never been a moment that made it obvious. Just complaints from classmates who’d worked with her on group projects, saying she was a bit frustrating.
But watching her stand there, tense and staring at the burger in front of the microwave, I finally understood. It wasn’t the big things, it was these everyday tasks that were hard for her.
“Here—do it like this.”
Pretending nothing was unusual, I stepped in and heated the burger for her. When she looked up and recognized me, she spoke as if she knew who I was.
“You’re in the international class, right?”
“That’s right. You remember me?”
“I’ve seen you talking with Sohee sometimes.”
“……”
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