Correcting the Villainess of the Academy

Early morning on the first day of the holiday. I set out along the path, where the mist had not yet cleared. The chilly air dispelled the lingering drowsiness.

Before long, I reached the main gate near the cradle’s main building and began to spot someone standing under a huge decoration next to the iron gate.

“Hey, Hyeona, over here!”

Yena recognized me too and jumped up, waving her hand. Although she was dressed simply in casual clothes instead of her usual school uniform, the raggedness seemed to highlight her natural cheerfulness.

“Did you wait long?”

“Hehe, no! I just got here too! But let’s hurry…!”

Yena stood beside me, urging me to go faster.

Today was the day I would fulfill the promise I made to Yena. As we stepped out of the gate and walked along the thoroughfare, the number of people wandering around began to increase.

I could still feel the passing stares from those around us. But now, I was known far and wide.

Even if I had three heads instead of a mask, spending every day in that same spot for lectures and showing up on campus would naturally make me familiar.

People glanced at me occasionally, but it was definitely a lot less of that uncomfortable, persistent gaze from before.

Rather, it was odd to realize that Yena was getting just as many looks. While she was indeed a popular first-year, their stares didn’t seem to hold envy, but rather, a strange pity instead.

Could it be because she was with me…

“…Hmph.”

Did Yena sense those gazes as well? She lightly puffed up her cheeks in displeasure.

*

Soon, we arrived at the commercial district lined with shops along the main street and alleys. A colossal stone fountain in the center of the square sprayed water in all directions. Above it, a huge pinwheel spun endlessly with the seasonal wind.

The buildings, adorned with red bricks and white marble, exuded an exotic atmosphere. Colorful decorations and flags fluttered above the narrow alley.

The cradle grounds were said to be as large as a small city. With sufficient facilities, students could handle their needs without necessarily going all the way to the capital.

“Wow!”

In that festival-like atmosphere, Yena’s eyes widened in astonishment. They sparkled with excitement.

Before long, Yena began bustling around as if she didn’t want to waste even a second.

She popped into a clothing store, tried on various outfits, and sighed loudly when she realized she wouldn’t have time to wear them.

At the bookstore, she bought a couple of books she wanted to read, but for some reason, she never showed me the titles.

At the flower shop, she wrapped up a small, fat cactus pot, claiming she wanted to change the bleak scenery of the dorm.

Throughout it all, a beaming smile never left Yena’s face.

Though we had originally planned to meet in the morning, we finally sat down at a café in the late afternoon.

“Hey… are you tired? Now that I think about it, I might have been too excited…”

While Yena had been cheerfully wandering around, she finally started glancing at me sheepishly, like a rabbit on alert for danger.

“I had to carry all your stuff… I’ve made things hard for you, haven’t I…”

“It’s fine. It wasn’t that heavy. But were you that happy?”

“Hehe, yes…”

Yena bashfully lowered her head a bit.

“There were things I really wanted to do in my life… Just go to school normally… And hang out like this with others, or rather, with a friend…”

Her voice was filled with sincere happiness.

“What about you… how was it?”

“Me? I was fine too.”

There was something about Yena that made people feel at ease. Just when I felt I needed some mental rest from recent events, I thought today was a good opportunity to relieve my fatigue.

“…Is that all?”

“Why?”

“…Hmph, no. But did you really want to rank high because you wanted to name Yeon Minha as your mentor…?”

“Yeah. You figured it out quickly…”

“I’m not an idiot, you know?”

Yena puffed up her cheeks slightly, pretending to be dissatisfied.

“Well, I don’t know much about it, but there’s some complicated matter going on, right? Your patron family and… that, Baek Seoyeon’s family, and Yeon Minha’s family…”

“That’s true, but honestly, I don’t know much either. It just ended up this way.”

“I see… But are you really okay? I mean, about last time…”

“I’m fine, I said.”

“Really…? What if the upperclassman is secretly bullying you or something…?”

Yena asked again, her tone worryingly concerned. She seemed both naive and unexpectedly sharp at times. It was just that she had no clue who the bully was.

“It’s really fine, so you don’t have to worry anymore. But what about you?”

“Me? I think I’m okay too…! The upperclassman is nice to me… Hehe… I was worried, but I’m really relieved…”

Yena smiled broadly. She said she had been almost forcibly chosen by a senior female student from the outskirts, a second-year. Luckily, the upperclassman was kind, and since they shared similar backgrounds, she felt very comfortable, as she kindly informed her about various things.

I thought about how she might face some difficulties due to her gentle nature, but seeing her so happy, I felt reassured.

“Hey, are you really okay…? Or should I head that way too…? I mean, Yeon Minha is a bit scary, but still, it’s better than you being alone…”

“I’m really okay. If I happen to get bullied later, I can just switch groups then.”

I indirectly rejected her offer. Being with Yena might actually narrow my own options.

And just the thought of receiving that murderous gaze from Yeon Minha for a brief moment before made me tremble. I couldn’t imagine Yena enduring it all the time…

“Uh?”

Red light poured into the café through the front windows. As I glanced outside, I noticed the sun had dipped about halfway to the west, casting a sunset glow all around.

“By the way, I think we should head back soon, right? We have special classes to prepare for tomorrow morning…”

“Already? Aww, I don’t want to… Why only the first years…”

Yena pouted, lowering her eyebrows in a sulky expression.

“…Will we come out again next time?”

“Huh? Really? For real?”

Seemingly uplifted again, Yena bounced back up from her seat.

“Hehe, really? You promised?!”

We tidied up our spots to return to the cradle.

As we headed out through the back door of the café, Yena suddenly looked at the front gate upon hearing a bell ringing.

“Uh? Isn’t that Baek Seoyeon…?”

At that moment, I turned my head as if possessed.

“Hey, don’t! I told you not to—!”

“You’re getting shy again… don’t do that…”

“Eek! Seriously!”

There, I spotted someone entering the café, chatting happily with two female students.

“…”

My mind felt foggy like a wet paper. It was great to have a holiday, but it felt like it was all ruined at the last moment.

Her long hair shimmered in the sunset light, but that beauty only made my heart feel heavy.

“Let’s hurry up.”

“Uh? Oh! Okay…”

Fearing a possible encounter, I quickly turned around and exited the café. Yena hastily followed me with quick steps.

Right now, I was extremely grateful for the mask covering my face.

Otherwise, everyone would have seen how contorted my expression had become.

I led Yena back first and then walked down the path toward the dormitory again. I wanted to gather my chaotic thoughts, but it wasn’t going well. The way back felt unusually long today.

At one point, I hoped that person would socialize more with others. I wished other people would recognize her true worth.

Should I be thankful that my wish has been fulfilled even now? Regardless of my inner feelings, she seemed to be in perfect harmony with everyone else now.

However, it was just lonely and painful that there was no longer a place for me there.

*

“Don’t even start. You know that guy Woojin wants to designate Yeon Minha as his mentor, right?! So I absolutely talked him out of it. In the end, I became the mentor instead. Haah… I wonder if he has any sense…”

Choi Ireh, a female student wearing glasses and with her hair in braids, suddenly let out a deep sigh.

“It’s okay, right? Why not just leave it alone?”

Across from her, a girl with hair as beautiful as a night sky smiled awkwardly.

“How can I do that? There’s our relationship in this matter. And looking at the bigger picture, it’s also about the relationship between Dosan Tech and BS Heavy Industries. I should have taught him a lesson long ago…”

Ireh shook her head stubbornly. The companies owned by both families had maintained a close cooperative relationship for over a decade.

However, due to her immature brother’s impulsive action, she had to endure some serious stress for a while. Thankfully, Baek Seoyeon had responded gently; otherwise, the ongoing collaborative projects could have easily fallen apart.

“Really, it’s fine. By the way, who did you say your mentees are?”

“Yeseo and Yeoul. Both are super cute and sweet. They listen so well. Actually, Yeseo is a little too passionate…”

“She’s been like that since last year’s exchange event! She’s always stuck to you like glue. Thank goodness she’s a girl… If she were a boy… oh boy.”

Seeing Seoyeon’s slightly troubled expression, Ireh wore a mischievous smile.

“Still, it’s fortunate. After all, we’ve secured all the important talents of this cohort on our side, right?”

Then her expression shifted, and she sneered at someone not present in the room.

“Yeon Minha, that girl, has finally confirmed with that lunatic, huh? It’s not like they’re just playing with their own kind. I thought there would be some relation between mentoring designations and duels, but seeing that she insists on keeping the group even after winning, it doesn’t seem like it at all. What on earth is her motive…?”

“Hey, let’s drop that topic. Besides…”

The three female students settled into their café seats, chatting away.

They were the most powerful trio among the second-year students at the cradle. Also, they were daughters of prestigious families owning renowned enterprises.

Their uniformly beautiful appearances caught the glances of those passing by, but none dared to approach them.

“Seoyeon. So you really aren’t going to join the student council? You even gave a speech as the representative of the second years?”

“Are you really going to bring that up again? I’m seriously busy…”

Seoyeon shook her head, smiling despite Ireh’s persistent urging.

“Ugh, can we stop with the boring talks already? More importantly, when are you going to introduce your fiancé? Are you going to keep hiding about it from us like this? Huh?”

Kwon Yuri, a strikingly beautiful student with tear-shaped eyes, chimed in with a wicked smile.

“I told you it’s a secret… I’ll tell you later…!”

Seoyeon shyly lowered her head, smiling.

“Hey, that was a whole year ago! When is ‘later’? I’m seriously dying to know…”

“Still no! Absolutely not.”

Despite her firm refusal today, Yuri let out a deep sigh. This time, Ireh’s eyes sparkled with interest from across the table.

“Fine. I’ll hold off on that. But just tell me how far you’ve gone. A kiss? Or, heaven forbid…?”

“Eek! You must be out of your mind!”

Yuri slapped Ireh on the wrist while making a fuss. Hearing that question, Seoyeon suddenly hunched over sadly. Her cheeks, once rosy, were now flushed a deep crimson.

“Just… a peck on the cheek…”

“I can’t believe this…”

Ireh muttered, spellbound. She couldn’t understand why Seoyeon’s fiancé was so worth it. If she were a guy, she wouldn’t have been able to walk past that sight unbothered.

“Hehe… it’s hot…”

Seoyeon looked away, fanning herself repeatedly.

On her left hand’s ring finger, there was a worn-out and shabby ring.

Wearing accessories was forbidden at the cradle, but Seoyeon always wore the same two pieces of jewelry when going out. One was a lightweight chain necklace, and the other was the ring she was currently wearing.

For someone in her position, it wouldn’t have been strange to wear ten rings made with the finest gems without anyone saying a word.

However, Seoyeon only cherished this one ring, a symbol she and her fiancé chose together; this simplicity had become a subject of admiration in itself.

“Ah, I’m really curious… who could be such an impressive person…?”

“I know, right? Who managed to win over her heart…?”

“Eek! Win me over, you say…!”

Seoyeon shook her head in embarrassment, her face flushing a deep shade.

“What if we hit it off at first sight when we meet?”

“That could absolutely happen… I’m sorry… I’ll apologize in advance…”

“What? You better not…! If you do, we’re definitely breaking up…!”

Seoyeon stomped her feet, looking thoroughly flustered. The other two giggled, covering their mouths in amusement. The air was filled with a warm, cheerful atmosphere.

– KRAK

But beneath the table, unseen by anyone, Seoyeon’s left hand was tightly clenched to the point of drawing blood.

She was still playing the role she once longed for—the most ideal version of herself.

*

The wide dormitory was filled with silence. As Seoyeon took off her shoes at the entrance, she suddenly frowned slightly at what she saw on the floor.

There lay clothes and socks tossed about by the little peanut. Lately, that kid had been going out more often than usual. Sometimes they wouldn’t return until late at night.

“Phew…”

She contemplated saying something but decided against it, letting out a sigh. When had the peanut ever listened to her before?

She neatly folded the little clothes and placed them on the shelf before heading to the bedroom.

The stark, bare bedroom only contained a bed and a metal desk.

Seated at the desk, Seoyeon opened the lower drawer and suddenly fixated on something, gazing at it intensely for a while.

“…”

Inside, there was a small jewelry box and a half-burned portrait of someone.

It depicted a sickly and frail girl from a time long past, but the girl in that portrait wore the brightest smile, looking infinitely happier than she did now.

Seoyeon carefully slid the ring off her finger and placed it tenderly onto the cushion inside the jewelry box to prevent any scratches.

After removing the necklace’s clasp from around her neck, something that had been hidden underneath her clothes appeared.

At the end of the chain hung a worn-out and shabby ring, bearing a mark reminiscent of something burned.

In a way, it looked the same as the ring she had always worn on her finger.

Seoyeon hesitated to place the necklace into the jewelry box, gripping it tightly with both hands.

Her face showed nothing but shadow, entirely devoid of light. The expressionless pallor was comparable to that of a corpse.

The smile from just moments ago, filled with shy laughter among friends, left no trace behind.

“…”

Still gripping the ring tightly in her hand, today she too would ruminate over her grave, irrecoverable, and most critical mistake.

And she wished for that day to arrive soon—the day when all her suffering would finally come to an end.

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