Chapter 7: Why are you doing this to me?

Yuna plopped down at my table.
The other two girls followed suit.

Thanks to them, I’m stuck awkwardly staring at my katsu, unable to eat.

“Yeseung, you can eat first!!”
“No, it’s fine, haha…”

[Gallery owner, manage your face lol.]
[You try keeping a straight face when your katsu’s getting cold lol. She’s crying tears of blood.]
[She said eat first, but can you really?]

Exactly! How could I eat first?
They just ordered, so I’m the only one with food.

God, I hate this. Why are they sitting here…

“You can really eat… Oh, you’re taking Prof. Song Seokryeol’s Managerial Accounting first period? I heard that class was super hard to get into.”
“H-how’d you know that?”
“A senior in the class told me. Jiwon unnie, she sits next to you? Same B section as us, you know her?”

Seoyeon’s business department splits into sections.
With over 300 students per year, it’s divided into A through E, about 60 per section. People mostly hang out within their section rather than the whole department.
Even so, with leave-of-absence students, a section can swell past 300.
No way I’d know a second-year, let alone a freshman.

‘Why are they even talking about me…?’

I was dying to ask.
She sits next to me?
Who cares who’s sitting next to you?

“Oh, food’s here. I’ll grab it, Yeseung!”

As the three went to get their food, I could finally breathe.

[I’ve been eating alone for 4 years, she’s definitely a shut-in.]
[Thought she was just awkward, but her face looks like she’s dying lol.]
[Pretty girls are talking to her, why’s she so annoyed? I’d be happy if hot guys talked to me.]
[Gay alert lol.]
[Gallery owner, use this chance to ditch the shut-in life and live the popular college life.]

“No thanks. Don’t butt into my life.”

I already know how uncomfortable it is to wear clothes that don’t fit.
I don’t want to live worrying about others’ eyes—I just want to live my way, alone!

“Sorry, did we make you wait long?”
“N-no, it’s fine.”
“Your katsu’s probably cold. We got the same thing, so swap with mine. Eat this.”
“No, really… it’s fine! Fine!!”

I waved my hands to protect my katsu, but she swapped it with her fresh one anyway.
What is this?
This is so awkward. So damn awkward!

[She swapped her food with hers.]
[Angel Yuna… is this what popular kids are like?]
[It’s only possible because it’s her face lol.]

“Wow, Yuna, what’s with the nice act?”
“Yeseung’s getting embarrassed, you crazy girl.”
“It’s not like that! We’re close, right, Yeseung?”

Since when were we close?!

Despite the other two’s jabs, Yuna kept smiling brightly as I forced down my katsu, nearly choking.
Ugh… I’m gonna get indigestion.
Why is she doing this to me?

“Oh, these two are in C section. No need to know their names.”
“Wanna die?”
“I’m Yusol, and this is Kim Seeun.”
“Oh, that’s why… I didn’t recognize them.”
“Yeah? We knew you, Yeseung.”

[The whole school knows her name lol.]
[Even as a shut-in, people notice if you’re pretty.]
[Is this unfairness what life’s about?]
[At this point, why’s she even a shut-in?]
[20 hours ago: Friends? Don’t have any.]

Even though my body changed to a girl’s, I thought I’d lived similarly based on the context.
So why does everyone in the department know my name?

‘Did I cause some kind of incident?’

This unwanted introduction felt like the start of the first semester again.
This is gonna make things awkward every time I see them on campus… I’m already dreading it.
After the greetings, we ran out of things to say.
The three of them laughed and chatted about who did what last time.

‘Just sit together then…’

I planned to eat happily while scrolling on my phone.
Now I barely notice the katsu going down my throat.
If I pull out my phone now, they’ll think I’m rude for ignoring the conversation, right?

[Why am I the one feeling suffocated lol?]
[Gallery owner, fight on!!]
[Tell them about your Daiso shopping or how the jungler stole all your CS when you were throwing top lane, go!]
[Are you insane lol?]

Ugh, it’s not your problem, so shut up!!
I had to pick at my katsu slowly because they were eating slowly while chatting.

Eat first by myself?
Sitting there awkwardly waiting after finishing is torture.
Saying I’m done and leaving is also a problem.

[Take control of the conversation!!]
[??? : Hey, do you know how to measure bust size?]
[No no, just say you’re Master tier and can carry them. They probably play League too, try it!]

“Yeseung, when’s your last class today?”
“Uh…? Fifth period…”
“So sixth is free, right? Right?”

Yuna, mid-conversation, glanced at me and asked.
Caught off guard, I nodded without thinking.

“Perfect! Then you can come to the section meeting tonight?”
“No, that’s…”
“Why? Busy? Got something to do?”

Too late, I realized I’d been trapped.

Why do people always hide their real intentions?
Why get a confirmation before revealing the point?

If she’d just asked about the meeting upfront, I could’ve said I was busy.

[She’s so spineless lol.]
[Just say no, damn.]
[Say you need to lie in bed or play League, why can’t you say it!!]
[To be fair, traps like that are disorienting.]
[I’ve fallen for that a couple times. Thought I was getting a date after work, but it was overtime, damn lol.]

Right? I’m not the weird one here.
But I’d already said I had time, so I had no excuse.
With tears in my eyes, I said I’d go.

‘Why’s she so happy about this…?’

Seeing Yuna’s already bright face light up even more, I couldn’t figure her out.
I knew her personality, but not to this extent. Is this because I’m a girl now?

“See you later, Yeseung!”

After the hellish lunch, I fled to the lecture hall.
The lecture was boring as hell, but compared to that ordeal, the professor seemed like an angel.

[Watching her eat made me feel indigested lol.]
[Why? That girl seemed super nice. I don’t get why you’re so annoyed.]
[If she was mean, she’d mess with you openly. Seems like she just wants to look out for you.]
[Nice or not, it’s about her own wishes. And she probably knew you didn’t want to go to the meeting. It’s all calculated.]

“I… just want to go home…”

I mumbled to myself pathetically.
I already tried it all in the first semester.
After-parties, drinking, drinking games, even karaoke—I did it all.
But it was just tiring, what can I do?

Cruelly, unlike usual, the lecture time flew by.
Fourth period ended, then fifth.
Why does time zoom by when I don’t want it to?

I opened the door to the meeting room, and it was already packed.
Since it’s my section, I recognized some faces.

As I walked in, eyes suddenly turned to me.

“Yeseung, over here! Here!”

Yuna was patting an empty chair next to her.
Did she save it on purpose?
Not exactly grateful, since this is her fault.

“Han Yeseung? She actually came?”
“Surprising. Thought she wouldn’t show.”
“She skipped everything after midterms last semester, right?”

[What kind of life has she been living lol?]
[From the reactions, it’s not ‘I’m the outcast’ but ‘everyone’s an outcast except me’ lol.]
[Only Angel Yuna’s looking out for her. Truly a saint…]
[She’s the real mastermind, idiot.]

People whispered as I passed.

‘Why are they all talking so loud…?’

Didn’t we agree to ignore each other?
That’s why I stopped greeting them.

I don’t get why they’re reacting like this now.
From what they’re saying, it seems girl Yeseung wasn’t active in department stuff either.

“Thanks for coming. I was waiting!”
“Oh… no, it’s nothing. I didn’t have class anyway…”

Why is she thanking me for coming?
I sighed heavily and sat quietly.

As expected, the section meeting was nothing special.
How much we spent on department fees last semester, plans for this semester—that’s it.
What do they spend it on? Drinking, obviously.

I zoned out, and it seemed to be wrapping up.
I’d made one firm resolution coming here:

No way I’m going to the after-party.

I even prepared excuses.

‘Yeseung, you’re going to the after-party, right?’
‘Sorry, I’m not feeling well…’
‘Oh… health comes first…’

Perfect. Absolutely perfect.
The three sacred excuses: family, health, prior plans.

Health is guilt-free, doesn’t involve selling out family, and there’s little risk of being caught later.
No way to prove I’m sick, and questioning a sick person makes them look bad.

“With that, we conclude the 2021 Business Department B Section Fall Semester Kickoff Meeting.”

In short, with the health excuse, I’m invincible.

“Yeseung, you’re going to the after-party, right?”

Yuna’s question was right on cue.
This is it. The moment I’ve been waiting for.

“I’m not feeling…”
“Oh, I already paid your share!”
“Uh… what…?”

Why? Why would you pay for me??