Chapter 15 (Continued)

 

“Do you intend to kill me, leader!?”

 

Ga-yeon shouted in a high-pitched voice, unable to control her emotions. Tears welled up in her eyes.

 

Only then did Jae-ho regain his senses and realize he had made a mistake.

 

“…?”

 

Woo-jin was momentarily confused by what had just happened.

 

Then, someone gently tugged at Woo-jin’s collar.

 

“?”

 

Woo-jin turned to see Oh Baek-seo holding his collar.

 

“Leader, could you please stop now?”

 

Baek-seo’s usual warm smile was there, but the corners of her mouth twitched uncontrollably.

 

Her voice was kind, but Woo-jin felt a strange and deadly aura.

 

“Oh.”

 

“No way….”

 

“Unbelievable….”

 

The disciplinary committee members were bewildered by the unexpected turn of events.

 

The musicians were equally stunned, unable to continue their performance.

 

For a while, the banquet hall was filled with silence.

 

…

 

The next day.

 

[ Recreation Results ]

 

─ Ahsung High School: Victory.

 

─ Mayeon High School: Defeat.

 

Lee Jae-ho readily accepted his defeat. He had lost his temper, made mistakes, and caused harm to his vice-leader’s spirit. He had no right to criticize her intervention.

 

However, since it wasn’t an entirely fair competition, no one thought either side was weaker.

 

“That was incredible….”

 

“Looks like Ahn Woo-jin isn’t just an ordinary fourth-Level.”

 

“He was on par with the Rock Cloud General!?”

 

“So he didn’t become the leader through cheap tricks?”

 

The scene the disciplinary committee members witnessed spread through the school like wildfire. Students who still doubted Woo-jin’s position began to reevaluate him.

 

Additionally.

 

“I heard Mayeon High lost?”

 

“They say Oh Baek-seo didn’t even step in.”

 

“Do you think the leader and vice-leader are dating?”

 

“They’re always together, so it’s possible.”

 

“The way they praised their vice-leaders yesterday… it was so cringy.”

 

“They just ended up boasting about their vice-leaders during the match. Saying they’re dating is an exaggeration.”

 

“They were probably just showing off their competitive spirit.”

 

Thus, the students of Ahsung High School continued to gossip about the disciplinary committee.

 

* * *

 

The disciplinary committee’s office was filled with silence and the aroma of coffee.

 

I placed my coffee cup down and, after reviewing the documents, began signing the signature line bearing my name.

 

“……”

 

Soon, my pen stopped abruptly.

 

I was reminded of yesterday’s events.

 

I hung my head.

 

Thunk!

 

I slammed my forehead onto the desk.

 

‘I want to die.’

 

I couldn’t bear the thought of living with this embarrassment.

 

The student council president had scolded me for fighting at the exchange meeting. Mayeon High likely faced the same situation. That wasn’t important.

 

The match ended with Ahsung High’s victory. That too wasn’t important.

 

…Actually, maybe that was important?

 

Regardless, I had placed a heavy burden on Baek-seo yesterday.

 

I felt sorry.

 

‘How can I face Baek-seo now…?’

 

I should have maintained my composure.

 

No matter how much I regretted it, I couldn’t rewind the past.

 

At that moment.

 

Click.

 

Hearing the door to the executive office open, I quickly straightened my posture. As the Disciplinary Committee Leader, I couldn’t afford to show any sign of disarray.

 

The person who entered was Oh Baek-seo.

 

“Vice-leader? Hello….”

 

“Good morning.”

 

Baek-seo smiled kindly as she greeted me.

 

‘Should I apologize for yesterday…?’

 

It was a topic difficult to bring up again.

 

Was an apology necessary?

 

Wouldn’t Baek-seo also prefer to let it slide?

 

While I was lost in thought, I noticed a rectangular box Baek-seo was holding.

 

“What’s that?”

 

“This?”

 

Baek-seo placed the gift box on my desk.

 

“It’s a gift from Mayeon High. One of their students brought it over.”

 

“A gift?”

 

The delivery slip indicated it was sent by Mayeon High School’s Disciplinary Committee Leader and addressed to Ahsung High School’s Disciplinary Committee Leader.

 

The box was fairly large.

 

“Why did they send it?”

 

“Haven’t you checked your email?”

 

“Not yet.”

 

“I checked the email sent to you. They said it’s a congratulatory gift for our victory.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

I went online to check the email from Lee Jae-ho.

 

—

 

**Sender**: Lee Jae-ho
**Recipient**: Ahn Woo-jin

 

—

 

Dear Disciplinary Committee Leader of Ahsung High School,
I am Lee Jae-ho, the Disciplinary Committee Leader of Mayeon High School.

 

Thank you for graciously hosting our Mayeon High School Disciplinary Committee during the exchange meeting.

 

Also, please accept this gift as a token of our congratulations on your victory in the recreational activities.

 

Have a great day.

 

—

 

‘This is… a way of asking us to keep quiet.’

 

It was clear what the message implied.

 

Mayeon High’s Disciplinary Committee had taken a significant hit to their reputation from the exchange meeting. They were essentially asking us not to bring it up in the future.

 

‘I hadn’t intended to anyway.’

 

I had no intention of tarnishing the honor of another disciplinary committee.

 

“Did the Student Council President receive a gift too?”

 

“Probably.”

 

As I talked with Baek-seo, I opened the gift box.

 

Rip.

 

A luxurious case was revealed. I opened the lid.

 

‘Oh?’

 

Inside was a long rod with a handle. It was about the size of the baton I usually carried.

 

It resembled a lightning rod in design but was sleek and could be retracted like a baton.

 

I immediately recognized what it was.

 

‘A Lightning Rod?’

 

It was a rare magical tool that stored lightning magic and released it at the wielder’s command.

 

I could use lightning magic through a baton with magic circuits, but I could only discharge a minimal amount of lightning externally.

 

This made the magical tool incredibly useful for me.

 

‘How impressive… How did they manage to send something like this?’

 

Though it seemed too extravagant as a hush gift, I soon figured out the reason.

 

‘Ah, the Student Council President’s influence must have been involved.’

 

The Mayeon High Student Council President, who wanted to build a good relationship with Ahsung High’s Disciplinary Committee through this exchange, likely coordinated the gift with Lee Jae-ho.

 

In essence, the magical tool also carried the message, ‘Let’s not fight anymore and become friends.’

 

“This is quite a gift… I’ll send a thank-you note.”

 

“I’ll do it. It’s a gift to me, after all.”

 

“Got it.”

 

Baek-seo nodded.

 

“And…”

 

Baek-seo pulled something from her pocket and placed it on my desk.

 

“This is a reward from me.”

 

“Huh? Oh, right.”

 

I remembered Baek-seo promising a reward if I defeated Lee Jae-ho.

 

I quickly realized that the stockings mentioned as a reward yesterday were just a provocative joke.

 

So what was the real reward?

 

I looked at it closely.

 

‘A card?’

 

It was a beautifully made card, hand-crafted by Baek-seo.

 

I read the content of the card.

 

—

 

**[Oh Baek-seo Voucher]**

 

— Once: Rest your head on Oh Baek-seo’s lap and receive an ear cleaning. This card’s effect cannot be nullified.
※ Usable only by Ahn Woo-jin, Disciplinary Committee Leader

 

—

 

“……”

 

This was… entirely unexpected.
Compared to the joke she made yesterday, this wasn’t particularly extreme, but it was still quite an embarrassing reward.

 

“Um…, thank you. I’ll use it well.”

 

“Sure, use it whenever you need.”

 

Baek-seo smiled brightly and headed to the sofa, seemingly unbothered.

 

Maybe it was just my imagination, but her ears appeared redder than usual. She quickly brushed her hair to cover them, making it hard to see clearly.

 

Anyway, I stared at the card for a while.

 

This didn’t seem like a mere prank.

 

‘Wait?’

 

A sudden thought struck me like lightning.

 

‘Could it be… that the vice-leader likes me?’

 

It was a reasonable assumption.

 

Yesterday’s bold joke and now this embarrassing voucher for an ear cleaning.

 

‘You wouldn’t do this for someone you don’t have feelings for…!’

 

There was a good way to find out her feelings.

 

Casually asking her out on a date.

 

I was about to call out to Baek-seo.

 

“Baek—”

 

“About yesterday.”

 

Her voice cut me off.

 

“I realized I really need to take care of you, leader.”

 

She turned to look at me.

 

Her usual smile was on her face.

 

“I heard your praises for me. So that’s how you see me?”

 

“Well, yes…”

 

Baek-seo smiled brightly, like a blooming flower.

 

“I also consider you precious, as a colleague in the disciplinary committee.”

 

“……”

 

I swallowed hard.

 

Gratitude and ambiguity took up residence in my heart.

 

“I see. I’m glad you think that way.”

 

I smiled back and nodded.

 

Baek-seo turned her head away again.

 

‘Phew.’

 

A silent sigh escaped through my teeth, against my will.

 

Her words, ‘I need to take care of you,’ and ‘as a colleague,’ filled my mind.

 

‘So… like a boss looking after a subordinate, or a mother looking after her son…. Maybe it’s that kind of feeling.’

 

To Baek-seo, I seemed to be ‘the leader who needs taking care of.’

 

This wasn’t just about whether she had feelings for me or not; it was about my pride.

 

A sense of futility washed over me.

 

‘Let’s stop jumping to conclusions….’

 

Whether there were feelings or not.

 

In the same organization, it’s better not to touch on these matters unless you’re sure.
It could make the relationship between friends and colleagues awkward.

 

Let’s stop the idle thoughts.

 

First, I need to solidify my position as a leader.

 

I need to overturn Baek-seo’s perception of me as ‘the leader who needs taking care of.’

 

“……”

 

Today, Baek-seo brushed her hair more than usual.

 

She always tucked one side of her hair behind her ear.

 

But today, for some reason, she kept her hair covering both ears the entire time in the office.