Chapter 12 (Continued)

 

I quickened my pace in the direction I was heading.

 

Buzz.

 

As I walked down the corridor, checking the classrooms, my smartphone vibrated.

 

[Lee Se-Ah: Senior]

 

[Lee Se-Ah: Found the treasurer!]

 

[Lee Se-Ah: (photo)]

 

[Lee Se-Ah: She’s in the Chrysanthemum Hall laboratory]

 

Se-Ah had secretly taken a picture of a girl writing calculations on the blackboard inside the lab.

 

It was the back of Yoo Doha, the treasurer.

 

‘Found her already?’

 

That was fast. Did she use some method? Or just luck?

 

In any case, it was helpful.

 

[Ann Woo-jin: Thank you]

 

[Ann Woo-jin: (thumbs-up puppy emoji)]

 

[Lee Se-Ah: Praise me]

 

[Ann Woo-jin: Good job]

 

[Lee Se-Ah: lol]

 

[Lee Se-Ah: (dancing flying squirrel emoji)]

 

I arrived at the entrance of the Chrysanthemum Hall laboratory.

 

Leaning against the wall in the corridor, Se-Ah greeted me with a wave. She put her hand to her mouth and whispered softly.

 

“She’s completely focused.”

 

She pointed towards the open lab door.

 

Standing at the entrance, I saw Yoo Doha deeply absorbed in front of the blackboard. Se-Ah and I each leaned against the doorframe, peeking at Doha.

 

“First, I need to decompose these… Then, if I use the complex exponential function here… What a beautiful relationship…! Now, I need to reconstruct these parts…!”

 

Acting like a mad scientist, Yoo Doha grinned fiercely, scribbling furiously with the chalk.

 

The blackboard was filled with incomprehensible formulas, and I couldn’t understand a word he was saying.

 

In my past life and current life, I was a humanities student. Just looking at the formulas made me feel queasy.

 

“Should I bring her over?”

 

“Yes. But not yet.”

 

“Why not?”

 

“She really hates being interrupted when she’s focused. We need to wait until her concentration breaks.”

 

If I interrupted her now, even if Neo Seoul were being destroyed, she would firmly push me away, saying, ‘Do not disturb me at this moment, Woo-jin…!’ At times like these, Doha was like an impregnable fortress.

 

This was an established principle from our first year. I was in charge of bringing the eccentric Yoo Doha from the Disciplinary Committee.

 

“Is that so?”

 

“Anyway, thanks for finding her. You can go now… Wait, what are you doing?”

 

Suddenly, Se-Ah entered the lab. She approached Yoo Doha with her hands behind her back.

 

“It’s Fermat’s Last Theorem, right?”

 

“!”

 

As soon as a coquettish voice echoed through the lab, Doha flinched. She quickly turned her head and saw Se-Ah.

 

“Who are you?”

 

Doha looked wary.

 

“Do you know that this proof is complete?”

 

“Hah!”

 

Doha scoffed confidently.

 

“You’re asking the obvious. Don’t you think I know Andrew Wiles proved it? But I want to fully understand the process…! The way he proved it, Taniyama-Shimura conjecture, and all those elliptic curves…”

 

“Wow, you’re trying to savor the beauty of the proof? That’s amazing.”

 

“What?”

 

Doha, who was passionately explaining, showed signs of confusion.

 

‘Oh?’

 

It was the first time I’d seen Doha react like this.

 

Se-Ah smiled slyly.

 

“How elliptic curves connect with modular forms? It’s quite an interesting topic.”

 

“Isn’t it? That connection is very fascinating…!”

 

Huh?

 

I didn’t understand their conversation, but it was clear Doha was getting hooked.

 

Doha and Se-Ah continued discussing various incomprehensible topics.

 

Se-Ah even understood the equations on the blackboard and picked up a piece of chalk, adding her own notes.

 

Doha watched with an intrigued expression, nodding in agreement.

 

‘What is that?’

 

It was terrifying.

 

“Oh, by the way.”

 

After a short while, Se-Ah spoke.

 

“The Disciplinary Committee Leader is here to see you.”

 

“The Leader?”

 

“Yes, do you have time?”

 

Surprisingly, Se-Ah managed to create a natural opportunity for me to step in.

 

She gained Doha’s favor, invaded her territory, and it only took about 2 minutes. Considering my best time was 15 minutes, it was an impressive speed.

 

“Leader?”

 

Doha tilted her head.

 

Anticipating this, I had been leaning against the door frame with my arms crossed, setting the mood.

 

“Yoo Doha. Emergency executive meeting. Stop what you’re doing and come with me.”

 

“…What’s the matter?”

 

“I’ll tell you when we get there.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

Doha looked back and forth between Se-Ah and the blackboard. Se-Ah was still smiling slyly.

 

“Alright, I’ll come with you.”

 

……

 

“Wow, Leader! You succeeded in bringing the treasurer!”

 

“Of course. With a little help.”

 

“That’s the shortest time ever! As expected of the Leader!”

 

Upon arriving at the room with the treasurer, Yoo Doha, Yesong welcomed me.

 

Doha warned, “Don’t treat bringing me as a mission,” but Yesong ignored her, grinning widely.

 

“And the secretary?”

 

“Over there, overcoming the pain of heartbreak.”

 

When I opened the cabinet, a startled male student inside exclaimed, “Leader!” It was the secretary, Park Minhyuk.

 

“Get out.”

 

“Y-Yes…”

 

At my firm command, he lowered his head and stepped out of the cabinet.

 

“Leader.”

 

“Hmm?”

 

Suddenly, Baek-seo approached me. I flinched at the closeness of her face but didn’t show it.

 

“Who did you bring the treasurer with?”

 

Baek-seo asked in a low, whispering voice.

 

It was chilling. Despite her kind tone, it felt like a cold blade was pressed against my neck.

 

I had felt this way before…

 

“Why do you ask?”

 

Baek-seo stared into my eyes.

 

“…It’s nothing. Never mind.”

 

She shook her head with a smile and returned to the sofa.

 

What was that…?

 

It made me a little nervous.

 

In a scary way.

 

Anyway, all five parts of the Disciplinary Committee were gathered in the executive room.

 

The always kind vice-leader, Oh Baek-seo.

 

The male secretary, Park Minhyuk, with leaves in his hair and shoulders slumped in despair.

 

The female treasurer, Yoo Doha, sitting arrogantly with her arms crossed and legs folded.

 

The dog, Ha Yesong.

 

And me.

 

After explaining why I had gathered the executives, I made the declaration.

 

“Starting today, we’ll prepare for the Disciplinary Committee exchange meeting. We have 9 days left. The time is tight, so let’s all do our best.”

 

“Okay.”

 

“Yes…”

 

“Of course.”

 

“Got it!”

 

And so, 9 days later, the Disciplinary Committee of Mayeon High School visited Ahsung High School.