Chapter 36 (Continued)

 

Yesong put a prepared hat on Doha’s head. Minhyuk gestured urgently, and Doha crouched down.

 

“Lower your voice.”

 

Yesong said to Doha.

 

“It seems the Leader and Vice Leader are on a date. You’ve heard the rumors they might be dating, right?”

 

“I don’t care about that….”

 

“Our goal is to gather evidence that Leader and Vice Leader are dating. Keep that in mind.”

 

Doha frowned.

 

“Why are we doing this troublesome thing?”

 

“Because I’m in charge of regulating public morals? It’s my duty to verify if Leader and Vice Leader are dating.”

 

“Then there’s no need to call me….”

 

“I can’t leave Doha-chan out. This is something we all need to confirm together.”

 

“You’re just doing this for fun.”

 

“Yes.”

 

Doha decided not to question further.

 

“Hm.”

 

Whether the Leader and Vice Leader were dating or not didn’t matter to her. However, since she was here, she decided to satisfy her curiosity.

 

After all, the Leader was someone she served, so knowing wouldn’t hurt.

 

Doha sat with Yesong and Minhyuk, who nibbled on fries like rabbits while intensely spying on Woo-jin and Baek-seo.

 

***

 

We went to a burger place for a simple meal. But for some reason, strange stalkers began following us.

 

One of them was Ha Yesong, wearing sunglasses and a mask, and the other was Park Minhyuk, hugging a bag tightly. Yoo Doha had just joined them.

 

‘What are they doing…?’

 

I pretended not to notice. I didn’t want to acknowledge their presence.

 

‘Are they tailing us? Suddenly?’

 

I didn’t realize they were following us until we entered the burger place. But it was obvious now.

 

I suddenly admired the stoic junior who always kept a close eye on Lee Se-Ah.

 

‘Baek-seo must have noticed too, right?’

 

If I noticed, there was no way Baek-seo hadn’t.

 

At that moment, Baek-seo casually started speaking while sipping her drink through a straw.

 

“Hey, Leader.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Have you heard that rumor lately?”

 

“What rumor?”

 

She asked while sipping my drink.

 

“The rumor that you and I are dating.”

 

“Gah! Cough, cough!”

 

I choked on my drink and coughed repeatedly.

 

A rumor that we’re dating?

 

“Are you okay?”

 

“Ah, I just swallowed wrong.”

 

It didn’t seem like a joke.

 

‘How did I not know?’

 

Maybe I’ve been too busy lately.

 

Baek-seo rested her chin on her hand and smiled warmly.

 

“…Really?”

 

I asked to confirm.

 

“Yes. I heard that there’s a rumor going around the Disciplinary Committee. I don’t really mind.”

 

“But I do….”

 

You might not care about your reputation, but I do.

 

‘So those guys…?’

 

I finally understood.

 

‘They came to confirm if Baek-seo and I are dating?’

 

They must be serious about it if they’re tailing us.

 

Their initiative is impressive.

 

But still.

 

‘This is a mistake.’

 

It’s a perfectly reasonable rumor.

 

Recently, since Baek-seo has been living next door and we’ve been commuting together, it’s only natural for such a rumor to spread.

 

High school students tend to get excited and start rumors whenever boys and girls interact even a little.

 

Especially in Ahsung High School, where campus romances are strictly prohibited, such gossip becomes even more exciting.

 

‘I should have been more careful.’

 

I was concerned about this.

 

But it was hard to distance myself from Baek-seo, who worried about my safety and insisted on commuting together. Not that I wanted to, either.

 

However, it seems I need to be more cautious from now on.

 

As the Leader, I need to strictly adhere to the school rules.

 

‘For now, it’s best to make those guys believe that Baek-seo and I are just friends and not a couple.’

 

Let’s pretend not to know that they’re here. They’re clearly trying not to be noticed.

 

Right now, it’s time to talk to Baek-seo.

 

“Baek-seo.”

 

“Yes?”

 

“It’s disgraceful for rumors to spread that the Leader and Vice Leader might be breaking the school rules. We should always be seen as exemplary, strictly adhering to the rules. So, let’s be careful for a while….”

 

Just as I was about to speak firmly, Baek-seo interrupted.

 

“Leader, wait.”

 

“Huh?”

 

Baek-seo picked up a napkin and leaned towards me, wiping my mouth.

 

“You had ketchup on your face.”

 

“Ah, thanks…. But isn’t this too close?”

 

Baek-seo was leaning uncomfortably close to me.

 

Moreover, even after wiping the ketchup, she didn’t move her hand away from my mouth.

 

“Baek-seo? Wait, what are you…?”

 

She got even closer, almost as if she was going to kiss my cheek.

 

I swallowed nervously, feeling the tension rising.

 

“Leader.”

 

Baek-seo’s voice suddenly filled my ear.

 

“They took the bait.”

 

“?”

 

Baek-seo smiled sweetly.

 

Two figures quickly approached us.

 

Whoosh! One of them threw off their sunglasses and mask.

 

“I got it! I captured the moment they were about to kiss!”

 

Ha Yesong. She pointed at us proudly like a reporter who had caught a scoop. Next to her, Minhyuk, wearing round glasses, pointed at us with a surprised expression.

 

Baek-seo and I turned our gazes towards them.

 

“You guys…?”

 

“Hi?”

 

Baek-seo greeted naturally.

 

“Baek-seo, so you and the Leader are really…?”

 

“Leader, are you really in that kind of relationship with the Vice Leader…?”

 

At that moment, Baek-seo showed Yesong and Minhyuk her smartphone screen, displaying footage of them approaching.

 

“Ah.”

 

Instantly, Yesong and Minhyuk froze like ice.

 

Baek-seo’s smartphone displayed footage of Yesong and Minhyuk approaching from the street.

 

“A trap?”

 

Yesong asked, and Baek-seo nodded. Just then, Doha approached Yesong and Minhyuk from behind.

 

Baek-seo put her phone back in her pocket and sat down again.

 

Had she planned to tease them from the start?

 

“The Leader and I were meeting for work. The rumors are false, so don’t misunderstand.”

 

Baek-seo said with her usual gentle smile, voicing what I had wanted to say.

 

Yeah, this is better.

 

I guess I was being overly cautious.

 

Anyway, the matter was resolved.

 

“Really…? If Baek-seo says so, then it must be true….”

 

Yesong and Minhyuk looked disappointed, let down by the anti-climactic turn of events.

 

They exchanged glances with Doha, and then Yesong asked me.

 

“What should we do now, Leader?”

 

“Why are you asking me?”

 

After reprimanding them for tailing us for a while.

 

We decided to have fun at a karaoke.

 

Since we had already met up, we agreed to go to a karaoke and have some fun.

 

It turned out to be quite enjoyable.

 

***

 

A female student in an Ahsung High School uniform was training in a dark room. She wore a Disciplinary Committee armband on her arm.

 

The screams of the undead echoed around her. The girl, with an emotionless expression, watched her minions fight.

 

Her expressionless demeanor was something the Ahsung High School Disciplinary Committee Leader highly valued.

 

Eventually, the girl raised her arm and snapped her fingers.

 

Snap!

 

With a sharp sound, the undead vanished into the shadows, sinking into the ground.

 

Only the traces of giant claws scratching the training dummy, walls, and floor remained.

 

Similar claw marks would be left during the Ahsung High School practical evaluation as well.

 

“…Useful.”

 

In a monotonous voice, the expressionless girl turned and left the room.