Chapter 202
“…Well, look who it is.”
Yeon Minha, upon seeing Baek Seoyeon appear, spat out her words in a voice dripping with mockery. The earlier surprise had long since faded.
“You startled me. I almost didn’t recognize you.”
Yeon Minha was brimming with a sense of triumph. Standing before her now wasn’t the noble lady of Paechun, Baek Seoyeon, but a useless loser.
“To think that Baek Seoyeon would stoop to stalking. Your followers would be absolutely shocked if they found out.”
“This has nothing to do with you. Stay out of it.”
Yet, the hostility between them remained unchanged, prompting Yeon Minha to let out another empty laugh.
Though she would never admit it, Baek Seoyeon had once been a campus idol, revered not only by students but also by professors.
But to think she would crumble so completely after just one encounter.
Her transformation had sparked various rumors among the students.
They said she was under immense stress from the pressure directed at Paechun, or that her relationship with her fiancé had soured, and so on.
And yet, only three people in this cradle knew the truth.
“Hmm…”
Separate from that, there was an inexplicable chill that ran down Yeon Minha’s spine as she observed Baek Seoyeon’s pitiful state.
After all, she herself had once been reduced to an empty shell.
What had filled her during those aimless days of lost hope was none other than the presence of Lee Hyun, the male student. Now, he was practically the reason Yeon Minha lived.
So if he had chosen Baek Seoyeon instead, it wouldn’t be her standing here in this state—it would be Yeon Minha.
Of course, that didn’t mean she felt any particular sympathy. She wasn’t the kind of person to waste her emotions on the downfall of a rival.
Besides, if the situation had been reversed, Baek Seoyeon would undoubtedly be mocking her without hesitation.
“A woman with a fiancé, no less…”
But suddenly, as if recalling something, Yeon Minha stopped speaking and stared at Baek Seoyeon.
Baek Seoyeon’s fiancé, shrouded in mystery with nothing but rumors swirling around him. Not even a single strand of his hair had been seen by anyone.
Still, thanks to the specific and profound affection Baek Seoyeon expressed whenever she had the chance, it had become an established fact that her fiancé was a real person.
However, after hearing about the man’s past and observing their quarrels through the Spirit’s Eye, Yeon Minha couldn’t help but solidify her suspicions.
‘As I thought…’
But the method she chose was simply to keep her mouth shut.
There was no need to stir up unnecessary trouble. Nor did the full story need to reach the man.
“…No, it does concern me.”
With that decision made, Yeon Minha stepped closer to Baek Seoyeon and stood firmly before her, her voice dripping with arrogance and allure.
“When a strange woman clings to my boyfriend, isn’t it only natural for me, as his girlfriend, to handle it?”
“You…!”
The grinding sound of teeth echoed hollowly through the hallway. Despite the palpable hostility pricking at her skin, Yeon Minha continued her mockery.
“Hmm? Why? Didn’t you already know? You saw it all that day, didn’t you? The way he eagerly sought my lips.”
Yeon Minha tilted her head in confusion, her finger brushing against her lips.
Her words seemed to trigger a harsh flashback for someone. The female student with black hair bowed her head deeply, her clenched fists trembling violently.
As blood droplets dripped—plop, plop—Yeon Minha’s eyes curved even more into a smile.
“Oh dear…”
Yeon Minha pressed her hand to her forehead as if exasperated. Every small gesture she made was steeped in the intent to mock her opponent.
“Baek Seoyeon. Let me make this clear. You’re of no use to him anymore. You know it yourself, don’t you? Hmm?”
“…”
“Isn’t it time to stop clinging so pathetically? If you truly love him, wouldn’t it be better to wish for our happiness instead?”
“…Shut up.”
“Ha… You must’ve seen it earlier too, right? The way he accepted my affection.”
A flinch. Though no response came, it didn’t matter in the slightest.
Yeon Minha continued speaking.
“But when it comes to you… What did he do again? Hmm? I think he shook off your arm, didn’t he? Or maybe he gagged? It was dark, so I can’t quite remember…”
“Hah… Hah…”
Her fists clenched even tighter. The frequency and size of the blood droplets increased.
“That’s the difference in rank. One is cherished, while the other is so repulsive he can’t even bear to touch her…”
Yeon Minha stepped even closer to Baek Seoyeon as she spoke.
She had resolved to use this opportunity to completely crush Baek Seoyeon’s lingering hopes.
“Oh, should I tell you one more thing while we’re at it?”
As if recalling something she’d forgotten, Yeon Minha clapped her palm with a sharp smack.
Then, she whispered so softly that only Baek Seoyeon could hear her.
“Did you know? My boyfriend and I… live together in the dormitory.”
“…!”
“I’m telling you this just for you. It’s a secret from the others, okay? If it gets out… you know he could get expelled, right?”
“Don’t lie…! Hyun would never…!!”
“‘Would never,’ huh.”
Yeon Minha mimicked Baek Seoyeon’s words like a parrot, mocking her. Then, as if making a grand concession, she waved her hand dismissively.
“Oh, fine. You want proof, is that it? Honestly… doing something so indecent in a public place…”
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Contrary to her words, Yeon Minha boldly undid two or three buttons of her shirt.
As she pulled it aside, her slender shoulders and collarbone were immediately revealed.
“Go ahead, take a good look.”
“Ah, ahh…”
Baek Seoyeon trembled uncontrollably, yet for some reason, she couldn’t tear her eyes away.
Her pale, delicate skin, once pure white like a blank canvas, was now marred with red abrasions and imprints from pressure.
“He made these himself this morning. His body is so firm that even the slightest brush leaves marks like this…”
“Ah, ahhh…”
“Living together feels like a honeymoon, but sometimes it’s exhausting. I was so worried I’d be late today.”
“Stop…”
“See the dark circles under my eyes? I haven’t been sleeping well lately. He’s always trying to have his way with me, day and night.”
Yeon Minha sighed, grumbling as if she couldn’t take it anymore.
“My lips are chapped… My back is sore… My thighs are so bruised they’re numb…”
“Stop, stop it…”
“And his stamina… Why is it so endless? Is it because he’s a young man in his prime? Well, as his senior, I have to handle it all, don’t I?”
“Hah, hah…”
“At this rate, I might end up pregnant and expelled. Oh well, I’ll just accept it. When we have our wedding, you must come. Got it? No need to decline. Let’s forget the past and be happy for each other…”
“I told you to stop!!!”
A sudden, enraged scream echoed loudly through the hallway. Yeon Minha said nothing, only smiled as she gazed at Baek Seoyeon. The latter clutched her throat as if suffocating, gasping for air.
“Hah, hah, hah…!”
After catching her breath for a while, Baek Seoyeon glared at Yeon Minha with intense hatred.
“…Hyun isn’t… someone as vulgar and shallow as you.”
“Ha.”
Her absurd determination was almost admirable. At the same time, her unwavering certainty was somewhat unsettling.
In truth, Yeon Minha was only a step ahead of Baek Seoyeon, but she felt no pangs of conscience.
It was a future that would inevitably come. Though she had deliberately steered things in this direction, the possessiveness gleaming in his eyes as he looked at her grew stronger by the day.
Moreover, having already run simulations in her mind, she half-accepted her eventual conquest as a foregone conclusion.
“‘Isn’t,’ you say. What do you even know? You’ve never experienced it. All you’ve done is press your lips to his cheek at most…”
Yeon Minha suppressed her true feelings, instead letting out a scoff. She met Baek Seoyeon’s empty eyes without flinching.
In the silence that descended once more, she anticipated Baek Seoyeon’s next reaction.
Would she slap her, or would her rage drive her to cast a spell and try to kill her?
Considering Baek Seoyeon’s true personality and the intensity of the provocations so far, the latter seemed more likely.
And Yeon Minha was hoping for just that.
It would be a perfect opportunity to eliminate any lingering threats. After all, she would be the one assaulted.
That would give her the pretext of self-defense to deal with things cleanly.
Yeon Minha still hadn’t forgotten the humiliation of the Jeokhwa incident. She was no longer the same person she had been back then.
Her mind was steady now, and under the influence of the man, her talent as a Spirit Channeler was blooming day by day.
“Why don’t you just give up already? You know, don’t you? You’re the one who threw away your chance. And not only that, you even hurt my boyfriend. You have no worth left. I’ll heal his wounds, so you should just…”
Yeon Minha, having decided to help Baek Seoyeon make her choice, began provoking her even further.
“…Do you know?”
“What?”
“Do you think… you’re clean?”
After a long silence, the words that finally escaped Baek Seoyeon’s lips were something Yeon Minha hadn’t anticipated.
Yeon Minha, unable to fully grasp the meaning, asked Baek Seoyeon,
“What nonsense are you spouting now? If you’re going to talk, at least make some sense.”
“…”
Instead of answering, Baek Seoyeon staggered toward Yeon Minha.
“…!”
Thinking the moment had finally come, Yeon Minha tensed up, readying herself.
“…I won’t tell you. Because that would be… more painful.”
But all that came was a broken whisper. Leaving only those words behind, Baek Seoyeon brushed past her and disappeared down the hallway.
“…Crazy b*tch.”
Yeon Minha stood there blankly for a moment, drained of energy. But soon, she turned around, leaving behind a mocking laugh directed at Baek Seoyeon.
***
It was around sunset when I passed through the capital’s checkpoint.
Instead of my usual mask, I covered my face with a hood and a scrap of cloth as I headed to the meeting point.
The long-awaited summon from Mok Jinwoo.
Previously, he had said that the next time he called, he would tell me the things I was curious about.
Could I finally learn something about this unidentified power? My heart beats a little faster with anticipation.
“This place is…”
The back alley of the capital, known as its shadowy underbelly. Along the narrow path, unsettling red neon signs flicker endlessly.
I stepped into the alley and moved forward. Instead of the usual office, it was a gym storage this time. If he was just going to talk, was there really a need to change the meeting spot? I couldn’t help but wonder about his intentions.
After walking for a while, I finally arrived at the location he had specified.
“…”
In front of the entrance leading underground. A symbol greeted me—a male gender sign tinted pink, embedded within a heart-shaped design.
Underneath the signboard, which alone was enough to make me hesitate, the shop’s name was scrawled in crooked letters.
-Secretive Classroom