Vol 2 Chapter 3 (1/2)
Part 1
After school,
In spite of the great tragedies frokam's Game, the members of the Clotaku Club faithfully continued their daily activities
Though it's really nothing but nesting in one spot while wasting aith their usual otaku stuff
The nurse was fixated on her co a visual novel
Yeonji laid flat on her belly on the couch while reading a light novel
Yerin and co watched an anime from their 82-inch television
Just like that, our club refused to change and reold but I couldn't share their attitude this time
””
I pretended to play galance at Yerin To any outside observers, I e and pathetic, but I had a really good reason for being extremely mindful of her
Ithat?
I looked at her again She held a cup of black tea in one hand, stroked her golden hair back in a truly ladylike antly, her legs crossed and eyes glittering in bright blue She looked and acted like a typical ojou character-- she was like a condensed ball of hubris and pompousness
There was no way that she was the sairl from the day before How could I possibly be calm?
Frolances that I snuck on her, I couldn't see any sign of her being that tily, I would have rather believed that Sukyong-sunbae was joking about it
”Hmph”
Looking at Sukyong-sunbae, who stood behind Yerin like a statue, I recalled the things she had toldthe lunch break
”S-so, that girl I saw before-- it’s the girl, sitting there?” Fragmented pieces of my question barely made it out of my broken brain
It was a tireso-sunbae answered nonetheless ”Yes She is the same person that you have in mind She is indeed Lady Yerin”
She left no roo with that answer I fell into silence and returned my eye to the telescope
The short-haired girl was still there, hanging her head low like someone who's been fired from her dream job Her features, attitudes-- there was absolutely nothing that reolden-haired lady, Eun Yerin
Un, shocked face that I probably had, Sukyong-sunbae explained calmly ”I believe you already know of Lady Yerin's school life before she had met Miss Yeonji, and you, Mister Injin”
”Of course-” Of course I knew It wasn't exactly easy to forget
That's right Like I explained before, Yerin wasn't a Clotaku before, but rather a Pubtaku, or, an otaku who is aggressively open with otaku activities Ever since her middle school days, she had done all kinds of atrocities, leading to her beco the symbol of fear known as the Pubtaku Queen
That was the true Eun Yerin
Yet now, those days had long since been stopped by another girl who believes that the world can be owned by the otaku who rerow in power After an eventful reed to reflect on her past and cease her ways
At the time, I believed that outcome was the best possible conclusion for Yeonji and the entire school but the problem never ended, it seemed
”After that day, my lady kept her pro and the colored contacts” Sukyong-sunbae added, while I fell deep in thought
Right, it was a wig Yerin's ladylike act looked very appropriate with her flowy, golden hair and her eyes like a blue lake, yet they were ultimately a part of the act While she restricted her act to our club room now, her previous self as the Pubtaku Queen was per the otaku
Anyway, the first thing she had done to keep her pro and her contacts when outside of the club This I knew, because the nurse had explained this the other day So, I should not have been surprised by the recent discoveries, but
Sukyong-sunbae stopped her quiet ained her concise voice ”Unfortunately,off”
”What?” What did she mean by that?
Sukyong-sunbae continued, her expression aptly describable with the color of metallic silver ”I meant it literally, I' behavior', it would be inal behavior'”
The original behavior?
--Ah
After repeating her words in my head, a realization crossed my mind
”It is so” She nodded, ”The original purpose of her idea of 'blonde, blue-eyed, pompous nobility' was a role model taken by Lady Yerin back when she was disheartened by her disappointing prospect for her future In other words, the weak, unconfident Lady Yerin is the Lady before taking on an alter ego”
”Right, that re-sunbae had told me about Yerin's past I didn't think about interpreting it that way Still, I wasn't fully convinced that was the entire reason ”But that doesn't sound right to uise o”
That is, Eun Yerin wasn't acting as her alter ego for a short period of time Over the lastto her original personality Why was it that taking off her as all that took to force her old self on her?
--But Sukyong-sunbae had a quick reply ”Of course, even my lady has to hide her hobbies around her family”
”Oh” Right, even the Pubtaku Queen had to hide herself when she was at her home Come to think of it, that was one of the critical points used in the argu act
”For a very long time, she lived as a closet otaku at her hoo at her school Perhaps her two lives were the main cause for her different personalities”
So, her brain tells her to be quiet when her wig is off, and be unbearably arrogant when it's on? Isn't that a serious case of multiple personality disorder?
I wasn't sure what to think of that I felt myself mentally fall apart like I've been a victim of Gestaltzerfall[1]
Sukyong-sunbae spaced out, her eyes without the usual brightness ”I can only iine what the true reason ains her weak personality without her wig”
”Okay, I understand”
She continued, ”And that is where our probleins Afterbegan”
”But that's”
I had to believe it because I already sahat had been happening to her, given that girl was indeed Eun Yerin Still how could anyone be bold enough to bully an Eunsung fa of fear?
”She had always been alone in her class”
Sukyong-sunbae gave me a quick suh to see Yerin without her obnoxious attitude, but their resent them when they had realized that her true personality is ti ti under Yerin's rule, her new doore, intentionally or not
They did not need to lay a finger on her She only needed to see that she was not welcome there
The old Eun Yerin would have quelled thisGroup But the new Yerin was a fragile little girl ould be e
”To my shaain much information I have at least reached the conclusion that the proble worse by the day”
Sukyong-sunbae explained that the level of harassment became bolder over ti on her, but they becaly relaxed due to Yerin's co-sunbae reht think to do to her next
”Even for students of Eunsung, they still have theon their e their consequences A little push could drive thereat harm to the entire school We cannot let this be”
”Y-you're right”
Whatever their reasons, if the word got out that the granddaughter of Eunsung CEO was getting bullied at school, the entire Eunsung Group would be up in flaht suddenly disappear in the next day
This sudden realization hit ht to stopbody, I asked, ”B-but then what's the reason for telling me this? Why me, of all people?”
At first, I was listening si me the story And then I realized that it was an awfully serious business where the entire school could be demolished at any time In that case, why not ask Yerin's homeroom teacher, or maybe the principal, to coo through the effort of finding s
Did she want me to ask around for help myself? I suppose it -sunbae is staying away from a first years' probleht
”Please, I beg of you”
And in the next moment,
As I stood there, confused and winded, Sukyong-sunbae made a request in her clearest voice
”Mister Injin, please help our Lady Yerin”
Me?
” Ugh”
I thought that I h a lot
Soon after those last words, the school bell marked the end of my break and I had to rush back to et any explanations on why and how I should help Yerin
--Mister Injin, please help our Lady Yerin
Sukyong-sunbae asked me as if there wasn't anyone else in school who could help her, but I personally did not believe that I had what it takes to take care of a sensitive issue like group bullying
And thatover there That was the tougher thing to believe at the moment
Maybe everything so far had been an elaborate joke But if it were, it was co that it was Sukyong-sunbae, as Yerin'saround at her mistress's expense
Thatthe whole truth Then, as she expecting !
I tried my best to come up with a solution, despite the lack of answers I feltaround without a clear shape
”Psh”
I gave up
I wasn't going to worry about a probleuess ether
But then a shrill voice pierced the air
”Hey you, the peasant over there!”
”Huh?”
I snapped back to reality in surprise Yerin had paused her show and glared at me with her cold, blue eyes
I realized what I had done Iin Yerin's direction when I spaced out, which she noticed then oops
As expected, her next words were full of thorns ”You're staring atwhat is your problem? If you have an issue with me, then tell aze immediately! You are the most unpleasant man”
””
I was coo, too-- hoas that possible, when she was facing away froo?
”I am quite sensitive to any onlookers When a brutish wolf like you looks atHave you any idea howsession?”
Sensitive? That's a superpower at that level! I couldn't tell if she were gifted or cursed by it Regardless, I was apparently a nuisance to her, so I quickly apologized ”Um you see, I… sorry”
I didn't want to get Yerin angry by talking back to her What was I going to do, be honest and say that I'd been thinking about how she acted during the lunch break?
”What a greedy, dirty look h your head over my perfect beauty, but I will surely remove both of your eyes next time Understand?”
”Yes, ma'am”
Such scary words did not fit her glaain?
Before any retorts inside me could escape my lips, Yerin turned around with a 'Het by withoutour day any worse
”Phew”
And there you have it-- the Eun Yerin that I knew
She was the type of person to threaten to pull the eyes out of anyone who dares to look at her for too long She was like a poison dart frog-- pretty and colorful, but toxic and dangerous in reality To think that she becoirl who can barely speak, just by taking off her wig and her contact lenses-- I couldn't believe it at all, no matter how many times I reconsider it
I glared at her once reat disbelief, to find any visual siirl, but--
”Yeonji Impaaaact--!”
”Gwaaahhrgh!”
A blunt force suddenly struck my side
Before I had noticed, Yeonji had stopped reading her novel, snuck to the side of the couch where I sat, and leapt at me with full force Her se than she intends, but it still hurts like hell when she uses her entire body
”Hey, you jackass what do you think you're doing?!”
”Who are you to ask that, hmm~?” Yeonji climbed on top of my shoulders as I writhed in pain and tapped my head with her pal at that idiot blonde? You must have a lot of ti for the club? You stupid, dumb idiot!”
”No,eughkrh”