SSS-Class Revival Hunter-Chapter 146: The Friends (2)

Man, that’s why people say ‘never say die!’

Despite my recent misfortune, I had the blessing of experiencing true friendship for the first time since starting high school.

It’s said that only people who approach you during difficult times are true friends.

Yes, I should admit I had been too arrogant so far, even though people make mistakes in life. I had trusted my friends too much and hadn’t considered the possibility that one of them could leak the videos and screw me over.

It’s okay. I have a long future ahead of me.

I was only a second-year high school student, meaning I had more than sixty years left of my life. I would continue to make mistakes and get frustrated because of them.

But there’s always a chance to turn the tables.

So I shouldn’t give up so easily. I had to believe in myself and my friend! Unlike those trashy livestock, I was strong.

Life is all about experiences.

I should consider what had happened as a good experience to learn from. I was glad this happened before I graduated. Yeah, that was what I should think. It wasn’t as if my business failed or that I got arrested. I just got bullied by the other students a little. That too would be over after the election.

It was really a good experience. Including how sorry I was to my ex-girlfriend in the apology letter wasn’t a bad idea. She’d hate it if I did that and everyone could tell what I was talking about, so I had to do it so subtly that only the people who knew what I was talking about would understand.

I would better apologize to my customers for the inconvenience since they were the ones who really deserved an apology, not Kim Yul. This whole charade would end as soon as I was done saying sorry to him anyway. However, the customers could come back to my business at any time, so I should take the time and put some serious effort into this apology.

On the day of the student council election, I finally completed my masterpiece.

Hello everyone. I’m Hwang Eun-Seo from Year 2 Class 5.

(Bow in greeting.)

I came up to the podium today even though I’m not even running for election. I have something to confess to you, my fellow Shinseo High School students!

I did something horrible. I, Hwang Eun-Seo, took part in bullying my classmate.

(Pause for two seconds.)

Even when I saw my classmate being bullied, I didn’t do anything. Instead of putting an end to it, I joined in. I said it was just a prank and made fun of him. I cursed and laughed at him, saying it was a joke.

(Take a deep breath.)

Dear students of Shinseo High School, until now, I didn’t know the extent of my wrongdoings. I hurt and mocked this student. I didn’t even know what I was doing was wrong. That is my biggest mistake. I thought it was just a joke between friends, a prank at most. However, we shouldn’t call hurting or sneering at other people pranks and jokes.

The candidate running for the student council president election this time made me realize my mistake. At first, I told him I didn’t do anything wrong and refused to listen to him. After all, these were just pranks and jokes to me.

However, the candidate stayed with me in the classroom after hours for two weeks and changed my mind, telling me that I should apologize. He encouraged me by saying, “If you apologize sincerely, your friends will also forgive you...”

I thank him for that.

(Bow to the class president.)

Thanks to this candidate’s efforts and encouragement, I was able to come up here today and confess the wrongdoing I have committed against my classmate here, in front of all of you.

Of course, I know my classmate’s wound won’t magically disappear even if I apologize today.

(Look around the audience.)

I hurt not only my classmate, but also my friends and many others at school. I said things and acted without thinking, so I believe many people are disappointed in me.

(Bow to the audience.)

What I did was wrong.

(Speak with my head down.)

I’m sorry.

(Put down the papers, so I look sincere!)

(Memorize everything else line by line! This Is Important!)

From now on, I will never make pranks or jokes without thinking twice about it. I will put myself in the shoes of my friends and other people before doing anything.

(Add details to the story so that the story becomes more convincing.)

(Change the mood.)

The classmate I bullied comes to school early every morning and goes to the farm behind the school. He takes care of the chicks and rabbits when no one else does. He’s a really diligent and kind-hearted boy. I feel very guilty for tormenting someone as caring as him.

(A promise of action that feels real and attainable.)

From today until my graduation, I will come to school at 6:30 A.M. every day and take care of the farm on behalf of—no, with my classmate. I will not miss a single day. I will not skip a day just because it is the weekend or a holiday.

(Give a convincing reason.)

This is not only to apologize to my classmate, but to also reflect on my grave wrongdoing every day.

(LOL.)

Apologizing here in front of you shouldn’t render my past actions null. It really shouldn’t.

(Maybe it’s better to mention the candidate number, not the name.)

My fellow Shinseo High School students! If I miss even a day of chores at the farm, please reprimand me. I haven’t changed yet, but I want to. I would like to thank Candidate No. 2 for helping me change.

(Emphasize number two.)

Dear students of Shinseo High School. Candidate Number 2 persuaded me to come up here today. He spent two weeks persuading me. I believe that this is true communication. Communication means making time and putting in effort to change the people around you.

(Stop looking at the papers.)

(Make eye contact with people one by one.)

Candidate Number 2 works hard. He’ll take his time for you. He’s the candidate who will change the students around him.

(Wrap it up.)

I don’t know how you will remember your school days, but I hope you remember them as happily as possible. But one of us shouldn’t suffer for all of our school days to be joyful.

For slightly better and more enjoyable school days, please vote for Candidate Number 2.

(Step away from the microphone.)

(Don’t use the microphone.)

(Yell.)

Kim Yul! I’m sorry for what I did! I’m really sorry! I hope we can get along well from now on!

(Bow to apologize and say your goodbye.)

(Exit.)

Perfect.

“Hmm. It’s alright...” the class president commented after reading the apology.

Alright? Alright? I was sure his eyes were just for decoration. It wasn’t just alright, it was a masterpiece. I had put a ton of psychological strategies into this, but he couldn’t even recognize them! However, I was the generous one, so I should let it slide.

“There are quite a lot of lines you need to memorize. Can you do it?” he asked me.

“Of course. I stayed up all night memorizing this thing. I can repeat it in my sleep.” I pounded my chest confidently.

“I feel like I can trust you on this, Hwang Eun-Seo. You’re such a good friend,” the class president said, tapping me on the shoulder. “Let’s do a rehearsal first to check the details.”

The class president planned to present his promises and goals as the student council president through a PPT, so the auditorium had to be dark. Fortunately, if I pressed the button and waited a moment, the curtains closed automatically, making the auditorium quite dark.

During the rehearsal, I saw my ex-girlfriend glancing at me. She pretended she didn’t know me, but I still lowered my head a little, like I was apologizing. Her eyes widened in surprise.

I smiled in my mind.

Just hold on. Today will be my big return.

The time for the election speeches came, and all the students gathered in the auditorium. The room was packed with people. My ex-girlfriend was nervously walking back and forth in the back.

Meanwhile, the class president was calm, sitting on his chair upright. It was as if he wasn’t nervous at all. How brave was this guy?

“Hey, aren’t you nervous?” I asked.

“Nope,” the class president muttered softly. “Only those who aren’t thoroughly prepared feel nervous. I prepared so, so much for this day. I dreamed of a stage and a day like this so many times that I lost count. There’s no way I would ruin it by being nervous or something.”

His cold voice sent a chill down my spine, even though it was brief. That was how ruthless the class president’s voice sounded. We had been spending time together after school for quite some time, but this was the first time I’d heard him speak in this manner.

What? He’s different from his usual self.

I simply stood there, hesitating, feeling as if I had been rebuked for no reason.

Someone approached us. I knew him.

“H-hey. We’re about to get started... so if you have any USB to hand over...”

It was the head of the broadcasting club who tried to threaten me not too long ago. He awkwardly cowered when our eyes met.

Ha.

Maybe he knew that he had treated me too harshly last time.

“Yes, here.” The class president handed him the USB.

The broadcasting club leader received the USB with trembling hands. “A-all I have to do is upload the file here, right...?”

“Yeah, you just have to follow the rehearsal.”

“If I just follow the rehearsal... then...”

“Then your work is done.” The class president stared at the broadcasting club leader. “What is it? Do you think you have more work to do?”

“N-no! I was just asking to make sure I got it right. Sorry! I’ll get going now!”

He hurried down the platform, taking the USB with him.

Below the platform, there was a dizzying array of broadcasting equipment, including a laptop and a projector.

What the fuck?

The head of the broadcasting club was acting very suspicious. Although he had always been strange, he never stammered that badly.

“The principal will give his speech now.”

But there was no time to dig into his suspicious behavior now. The principal and the chairman of the election committee, who was last year’s student council president, spoke one after another. The auditorium, which had been noisy with all the students, gradually became quiet.

“Candidate Number 1, please come forward.”

My ex-girlfriend gave her speech first. Just as the class president expected, she made a plethora of promises. Every one of them was costly, but she was rich enough to keep those promises, something most students knew. My ex-girlfriend ended her speech with thunderous applause.

It’s simple but powerful. It’s okay. If I put up a good act, we’ll win. No, there is no need for the class president to do something. I just have to do a good job as an actor. The important thing is to apologize to Kim Yul in front of all the students. Then my friends will say “He’s done enough...”

I took a deep breath.

“Then, Candidate Number 2, please come forward.”

I looked back. The class president nodded at me.

Good. Let’s go. I’ll act with all my heart.

With each step, more gazes landed on me.

Badump. Badump.

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I got on the podium, desperately trying to calm my racing heart.

The thick curtains moved to block out the sunlight. The auditorium was shrouded in dark shadows. As the broadcasting club head adjusted the projector, clear light illuminated the stage, revealing dust particles flying in the air. I could feel hundreds of eyes on me, all of them expectant.

I began speaking slowly. “Hello, everyone. I’m Hwang Eun-Seo from Year 2 Class 5. I came up to the podium today even though I’m not even running for election. I have something to confess to you, my fellow Shinseo High School students!”

And my masterpiece of a speech followed.

Oh.

Once I set the tone, the tension seemed to have disappeared from within me. No, I still felt somewhat tense, but the excitement of my performance overwhelmed my nervousness, allowing me to speak without any difficulties.

It’s working.

I was in full control of my voice.

It’s working!

I could feel my facial muscles moving naturally.

Hell yeah! It’s working!

Now that I thought about it, I had shot countless videos. I was the director of the Kim Yul Game, which could definitely be considered a film or an art project of some sort. I was better at acting than anyone else at Shinseo Middle and High Schools.

“Dear students of Shinseo High School. Until now, I didn’t know the extent of my wrongdoings....!”

The theme was bullying, a topic that always started a spark, and my acting skills were necessary for this play to be successful. Even the seniors who weren’t interested in speeches all looked at me.

“What I did was wrong.”

The students all looked at me.

“I’m sorry.”

The sound of the students’ breathing felt almost tangible.

“I haven’t changed yet, but I want to!”

Look. Look at me. My life isn’t over yet. My videos ridiculously got leaked, but that was a mistake. Still, I can easily make up for my mistakes like this. I’m an awesome guy. Even my ex-girlfriend is looking at me with her mouth wide open!

“For slightly better and more enjoyable school days, please vote for Candidate Number 2.” I took three steps away from the microphone and shouted. “Kim Yul!”

I was confident of my victory.

“I’m sorry for what I did! I’m really sorry! ”

I bowed in the direction where the Year 2 Class 5 students were gathered.

“I hope we can get along well from now on!”

A small sound that broke the silence in the auditorium.

Clap.

Applause rang out from the direction I was bowing toward.

Clap, clap, clap.

Kim Yul stood up and clapped. Yes, it really was him. The person I apologized to was applauding me. Although his face was still cold and he wasn’t clapping very loudly, this could mean only one thing—forgiveness!

Thanks to Kim Yul’s lead, other students also began to clap. After all, applause was very contagious. The students clapped as if they had seen a good performance and I had done well enough. Even the teachers joined in.

Tears streamed down my face.

Ha... ! Thanks!

It wasn’t because I was happy that Kim Yul forgave me. Who cared if Recycle Dude absolved me of my sins? I was proud that I had crawled out of this hell with my own efforts.

Thanks, me! Thanks for not giving up! Well done!

Clap clap clap clap—!

Thank you too!

Clap clap, clap—!

Thank you for being livestock that gets so easily manipulated! Thank you! Please continue to be livestock! Remain as livestock even when I graduate from school and go out to the real world as an adult. Stay as livestock forever!

I was thankful for everything this world had to offer.

「Uh.」

Something could be heard from the speakers installed in the auditorium, but the applause had hardly subsided, drowning out the sound. However, the head of the broadcasting club increased the volume, gaining the audience’s attention.

「Sunbae, is it okay if we film this?」

I wiped away my tears. I wasn’t sure, but it seemed like the head of the broadcasting club was playing some kind of video. When I turned around, I saw a recording being projected on the dark wall of the auditorium.

「Don’t worry.」

A familiar face appeared in the video.

「I’m only going to share this with a few people and then delete it.」

It was me.

Huh?

「Hello, dear customers. Today, the Kim Yul TV you’ve been waiting for is back. Oh, I got a lot of messages saying that the name is tacky. And I agree!」

It all seemed unrealistic. In the video, I was holding a camcorder and filming my face and Kim Yul’s. The game hadn’t begun, so the other guys who were with me were just keeping it light with Kim Yul.

「But I’m not really good at coming up with names. Haha. I would be very grateful if you could give us suggestions for the new name of the series!」

What?

「Okay, I’ll keep the intro short. Many of you left suggestions about how we’re going to play with Kim Yul today. Among those who applied today, the one who won is... Give me the drum roll.」

All the students in the auditorium were murmuring among themselves. The teachers were paying close attention to the video.

「It’s Queen! Congratulations! Queen’s entry is... Okay, okay. I’ll be quick. Prepare two banana milks, put a centipede in one, and in the other—」

My mind turned blank. My ex-girlfriend, who had returned to her seat after finishing her speech, stood up and screamed, “Hwang Eun-Seo, you crazy bastard! You idiot! You son of a bitch...!”

I could barely understand what she was saying. Out of instinct, I turned and looked at the broadcasting club head. His head was down as he was holding the mouse connected to his laptop.

I then turned toward the class president. He was smiling. Very kindly.