IRLPLBIO Chapter 22 Part 2

The object that hit him was an unopened soda can. Thwack, the crumpled soda can tumbled unsteadily across the floor.

“What crazy bastard throws something like this at a person…!”

“Yeah, me.”

The person walking towards them, waving their hand from a distance, was wearing a high school uniform. There was only one school nearby whose white short-sleeved shirts had gray sleeve cuffs.

Moreover, the face that approached was familiar. He was like a god to the delinquent middle schoolers and a well-known figure even among the local high school students.

“Jae, Jae-gu Hyung-nim!”

This time, Na-eun glared at Jae-gu with a huff. To have a delinquent middle schooler followed by a delinquent high schooler appear, the public safety in Changwon seemed quite poor.

“What are you doing here now?”

As if he hadn’t heard Na-eun’s voice, laced with wariness and annoyance, Jae-gu confidently approached. When he got close enough for their shoulders to touch, he subtly turned his head to look, flinching for a moment, but no one noticed. He had intervened only because he thought some girl was surrounded by guys bothering her, not knowing it would be Lee Na-eun.

Soon, Jae-gu composed his expression and tilted his head askew at the guys.

“Do you guys know me?”

“Yes! Aren’t you Jae-gu Hyung-nim!”

“Since when did you see me to call me Hyung-nim, Hyung-nim?”

“Then what should we call you…?”

“Forget that, go buy a drink. Sorui-nun.”

“…Huh?”

“It got crumpled because of you guys. Can’t you see it here?”

Instead of the delinquent guys, who were accustomed to hierarchical pecking orders, Na-eun looked at Jae-gu with an incredulous expression.

You were the one who threw it, though?

It was as if her voice could be heard from her expression.

Regardless, Jae-gu picked up the fallen can. The opening part was unfortunately completely crushed, making it awkward to give to Joo Hae-jun.

…No, should I just give it to him? Wouldn’t it be fine to tell him to eat whatever he’s given?

He was tempted for a moment but quickly shook his head.

Having lost the bet on their grades, he was Joo Hae-jun’s errand boy for a day. If he defied him with something like this, he might end up with even worse orders.

Moreover, that bastard Joo Hae-jun was as creative as he was smart. To tell him to run all the way to the station during self-study to buy Sorui-nun, Dejawa, and Achimhaetssal.

There was no way they’d taste better than vending machine drinks, but his twisted desire to make him fetch them was malicious. He even added that Jae-gu had to take a picture of the station, just in case he tried to buy them from a supermarket on the way. Damn bastard. Well, he didn’t expect to meet this kid at the station he arrived at like that.

“What are you standing around for? Aren’t you going to go buy them quickly?”

“We’ll, we’ll be right back!”

“Don’t even think about running off on the way. I know where your school is.”

Jae-gu nodded. His face, grinning slyly with one corner of his mouth pulled up, looked like an excellent villain. The guys who had been secretly planning to run off froze as if glued to the ground.

Na-eun had seen that kind of face before. It was the expression her father’s department manager often made toward his subordinates.

Only then did she feel a little relieved. She knew that Jae-gu was taking her side, and that those crazy bastards were beneath Jae-gu in rank.

Hearing Jae-gu’s threat, the guys, with their grim, defeated faces, each emptied their pockets. Jae-gu had only mentioned Sorui-nun, but those who had served delinquent seniors before had common sense. If they only brought back one can in such a situation, they’d get cursed out relentlessly.

Jae-gu abruptly poked his head in among the guys scraping together 100-won and 500-won coins.

“Oh, right, you guys have ‘Anyak,’ don’t you? Hand it over.”

“Huh, huh?”

“Are you pretending you didn’t hear me?”

“Th-that’s medicine… because it’s medicine…”

One of the guys stammered, offering something close to a refusal. At that moment, Jae-gu’s gaze completely changed.

His eyes, which had been smiling cheerfully, became chillingly cold as if by magic, and his mouth, which had held even a sneering smile, hardened. With just a slight change in his expression, the atmosphere completely shifted.

“You son of a bitch, do I look like an easy target?”

“N-no…”

“Because I was smiling, you thought I was easy, didn’t you, you fucking bastard? Huh? Did you think a punk middle schooler like you could run your mouth off?”

Hiccup, someone hiccuped, but no one laughed. The guys, busy trying to steady their trembling legs, were half-sobbing.

“Hand it over.”

Jae-gu extended his hand.