Chapter 6 – Rule 4: The Leader monitors potential villains (2).
‘To keep an eye on Lee Se-Ah, I need to create a point of contact first.’
I needed to create an environnt where we could naturally et and beco friends.
Trying to secretly monitor soone as perceptive as Lee Se-Ah would be a foolish choice.
‘To make contact… is volunteer work my only option?’
Since we were in different grades and different clubs, the only way to make contact was through Lee Se-Ah’s main activity, which was volunteering.
Conveniently, Lee Se-Ah volunteered three tis a week at the free al center, ‘One al of Love.’ This wasn’t an official activity of the Volunteer Club. She had been doing this even before she entered Ahsung High School.
However, there was a risk involved.
‘Then again, Lee Se-Ah might find suspicious.’
On the surface, I was the person who preemptively understood Anomia’s plan and resolved the subway kidnapping incident.
So, it didn’t make sense that I wouldn’t know Lee Se-Ah was Anomia’s target.
If I suddenly started volunteering to get involved with Lee Se-Ah?
She would inevitably beco suspicious.
‘Isn’t there a more natural way?’
I needed to think.
A way to naturally make contact with Lee Se-Ah.
A way to monitor her.
I was deep in thought as I arrived at the shoe locker.
“Huh?”
There was a note inside the shoe locker. Another confession letter?
I read it.
[Senior, feel free to monitor . I won’t run away, haha – Lee Se-Ah]
“……”
Without hesitation, I applied to volunteer at ‘One al of Love’ using my smartphone.
What was I even worrying about, against soone who would beco a master of the underworld? A feeling of futility washed over .
……
“Thinking about helping the needy again today makes my heart flutter…, heh heh….”
“Hee hee….”
“Ha ha…. Poor folks, let us bestow so ‘good deeds’ upon them…!”
After school.
Lee Se-Ah’s steps were light as she headed to ‘One al of Love’ with her fellow Volunteer Club mbers.
We shared the sa destination. However, knowing that an awkward atmosphere would be inevitable, I kept a distance from them.
“Welco, Se-Ah!”
“Oh, hello!”
The group was welcod by the volunteers upon arriving at ‘One al of Love.’
The volunteers there were all about my age. Judging by their lack of school uniforms, they were likely dropouts, expelled students, or students on leave.
After observing the situation from outside, I entered. Lee Se-Ah and her group were donning red aprons over their black uniforms.
“Huh? Are you new here?”
“I’m Ahn Woo-jin.”
When the volunteer awkwardly asked, I took off my hat and greeted politely.
I had taken off the Disciplinary Committee Leader armband and put it in my pocket.
“?”
Lee Se-Ah glanced at and started whispering with her group.
It was a natural reaction.
A student at Ahsung High School who didn’t know was either a dumb spy or a recluse completely disconnected from the world. At least, Lee Se-Ah and her group didn’t seem to fall into those categories.
The volunteer who welcod had a bright smile on their face.
“Yes, Woo-jin. Welco! We will open at 6 o’clock. Until then, we’ll be preparing the als.
Would you mind taking charge of the rice?”
“Sure, no problem.”
“Thank you.”
Afterward, the volunteer briefly explained what I needed to do. Since it wasn’t complicated, there was no need to rack my brain.
I took off my school jacket and put on a red apron, then headed towards the warming machine. I could still feel Lee Se-Ah’s gaze. When I looked at her, our eyes t.
Lee Se-Ah bead brightly. She seed genuinely pleased to see .
‘What was I being so cautious about…?’
I had no idea when she realized I was monitoring her.
I suddenly felt foolish for trying to secretly monitor such a person.
Lee Se-Ah and her group bowed to . It was a sign of respect towards the Disciplinary Committee Leader. I just nodded and started moving the cart.
Large rice containers were stacked vertically and kept warm. I moved the hot containers from the warming machine to the cart and placed them in a convenient location for replacent during the free al service.
Just before 6 o’clock,
I stood in front of the rice containers with a rice paddle.
Next to , handling the soup, was Lee Se-Ah. She kept stirring the miso soup in the soup pot with a ladle.
We were ready to welco those lining up outside.
“Did you check your horoscope today?”
“?”
A sudden question popped out of Lee Se-Ah’s mouth. Her voice was fluttery like a butterfly’s wing.
Her squinting eyes were directed at .
“Horoscope?”
“I’m a Sagittarius. What about you, Disciplinary Committee Leader?”
“I’m a Sagittarius too.”
“Oh, we have sothing in common?”
Lee Se-Ah giggled.
A horoscope, huh? Now I was curious.
“What does today’s horoscope say?”
“It says to be cautious of the person you et today. It could turn into a deep connection or a bad relationship.”
Swish.
I imdiately took out my smartphone to check my horoscope.
“…What are you doing?”
“Verification. I can’t rest easy until I confirm things like this.”
“Wow~, you really live up to being the Disciplinary Committee Leader! I didn’t expect this…!
Truly impressive, really.”
Lee Se-Ah chuckled, seemingly amused.
“It’s true.”
The Sagittarius horoscope was exactly as Lee Se-Ah had said.
I quickly put my smartphone back in my pocket.
“Senior. Do you think we will have a good relationship or a bad one?”
Probably a bad one.
I’m soone who needs to catch villains, and you’re soone who’s going to beco one.
“With the number of people I’ve t today, how can I determine that for each person?”
“Oh, you’re quite cold. It’s all just for fun, anyway. By the way, have you always been active in volunteer work, Senior?”
Se-Ah smoothly shifted the topic to sothing new.
Despite this being our first conversation, there wasn’t a hint of awkwardness. It felt like the flow of conversation was natural from the start.
‘Let’s not let my guard down….’
It was all part of Se-Ah’s plan.
In the ga, Lee Se-Ah becos the head of the Do-hwa Group and a significant villain in the underworld. She’s excellent at business and has a knack for charming people.
If I didn’t watch out for her silver tongue, I might find myself entranced by her without realizing it.
I needed to be cautious.
“I haven’t done much of it. What about you?”
“Is there any need to ask?”
Her eyes ford a crescent shape, and she wore a subtle, enigmatic smile.
“You ca here knowing everything already.”
“……”
…Right.
We weren’t naive enough to be having innocent chit-chat pretending we didn’t know anything.
Ring!
“It’s 6 o’clock! Everyone, please co in one by one!”
The bell rang just as the door opened, and the volunteer welcod the people lined up outside into the al center.
They were all teenagers or young adults.
I served the appropriate amount of rice onto the trays they brought. Since there wasn’t much to say, I stayed quiet while doing it, but next to , Se-Ah kept chatting non-stop.
“Enjoy your al. I tasted the miso soup earlier, and it was fantastic!”
“Wow~, your bangs are really nicely cut. Did you do it yourself? Wow, could you help with mine next ti?”
“Heh, you look better since you started dating, don’t you?”
“Oh, you’re refusing the soup solids? You might regret that.”
With her sociable personality and years of volunteer experience, she seed to get along well with everyone. Even I, standing next to her, felt a sense of familiarity.
Honestly, seeing her laughing and chatting with people was quite a pleasant sight.
But Lee Se-Ah was essentially a wolf in sheep’s clothing. I couldn’t be fooled by appearances.
“Am I bothering you?”
“What?”
Se-Ah suddenly asked .
“I wasn’t even looking at you.”
“But you did? At least six tis with side glances? Oh dear…, was it my mistake?”
Se-Ah smiled playfully.
Indeed, I had glanced at her five or six tis.
I realized once again.
The mont I thought I could secretly monitor this person was a mistake.
……
“Good job, everyone!”
“You all did great~.”
The doors of ‘One al of Love’ closed, and the cleanup was finished.
“Ha ha…. Not much food waste. We’ve reduced waste…!”
“Hmm…, it was worth serving generously.”
Lee Se-Ah and her group laughed slyly, almost as if they were plotting a cri. Judging by their expressions alone, they seed like they were about to commit a serious cri.
However, their conversation was as wholeso and heartwarming as sothing out of an elentary school textbook.
As I took off my apron and put on my school jacket, I made eye contact with Se-Ah. She smiled sweetly and then spoke to her group.
“You guys go ahead. I have an appointnt with the Disciplinary Committee Leader.
Apparently, there’s sothing he needs to discuss with regarding the last incident, or maybe sothing about the disciplinary committee?”
Se-Ah made an excuse to her friends.
* * *
The ‘One al of Love’ mbers dispersed, leaving Ahn Woo-jin and Lee Se-Ah alone as they walked to the park. The sun had completely set by then.
“Drink up. I don’t know if you like it or not.”
Woo-jin handed a can of coffee to Se-Ah.
Since they weren’t in an adversarial relationship yet, and he didn’t have any ill feelings toward her, he bought her a drink as a senior.
“Wow, I love coffee. Thanks, I’ll enjoy it.”
Se-Ah accepted the warm can of coffee and pressed it against her soft, white cheek, savoring the warmth.
“It’s warm~.”
They leaned against the fence side by side, sipping their canned coffee.
The park’s scenery, illuminated by streetlights, unfolded before their eyes. Being spring, the flowers were in full bloom.
A spring breeze caressed their skin, and Woo-jin finally spoke.
“When did you find out?”
Reviews
All reviews (0)