The Way to Save the Crazy Returnees Chapter 13 - Cheongha High School (3)

 

“Well, fine. At least you understand that our time is valuable—even if you’re just a teacher at Cheongha High School.”

 

The speaker was the president of the PTA.

 

“Then let me ask you directly, Teacher Kwak Yoon-hoo. Is everything Jin-hyuk’s mother said true?”

 

“Yes, it is.”

 

A murmur of sighs passed among the parents.

 

“How could a teacher make such false accusations against an innocent student?”

 

The PTA president adjusted her glasses and continued,

 

“I suppose you’re unfamiliar with how things work here, since you were assigned to this school so suddenly. But are you even aware of how kind Jin-hyuk is?”

 

“No, I’m not.”

 

“Well, he’s very— Wait, what?”

 

“I said, I don’t know.”

 

I replied calmly.

 

“Jin-hyuk often bullies Yoo-seong when he’s bored. So what exactly makes you believe he’s kind, Ms. Kim?”

 

“What kind of nonsense is that?! My Jin-hyuk would never bully anyone! You’d better watch your mouth! Keep that up, and I’ll sue you!”

 

“Go ahead. But tell me, Jin-hyuk’s mother…”

 

I gave the flustered woman a calm smile.

 

“Can you even afford a lawyer?”

 

“Of course I can!”

 

“Is that so? Strange. Aren’t you currently refusing to return your tenants’ deposits, claiming you don’t have the money?”

 

“H-How do you…!”

 

Kim Jeong-hye’s eyes widened in shock, but she quickly shifted her tone.

 

“What do you even know?! That’s not true!”

 

“Oh, really? That’s odd—considering you’re a VIP customer at AMA’s The Gallery Mall. You have money for luxury goods, but not to pay back your tenants? Doesn’t that sound strange to you?”

 

At a loss for words, Kim Jeong-hye fell silent. She opened and closed her mouth like a goldfish, then turned pleading eyes toward the PTA president.

 

Sensing her desperation, the president stepped in.

 

“Teacher Kwak, let’s not derail the conversation.”

 

“I’m not. I’m simply expressing concern about Jin-hyuk’s mother’s financial situation.”

 

The PTA president let out a short, incredulous laugh.

 

“Principal, I’m sorry, but there’s no point continuing this conversation.”

 

She stood up, gathering her things.

 

“Principal, I expect you to take responsibility and dismiss Teacher Kwak. If not, we’ll be reporting this directly to the Board of Education.”

 

The other parents who had accompanied her chimed in.

 

“We’ll post everything in the Cheongha High School parents’ forum. A teacher framing a student for bullying? That’s unacceptable.”

 

“If this isn’t handled properly, we’re going to the media. Just so you’re aware.”

 

“Everyone, please calm down!” the principal cut in, trying to restore order.

 

“Teacher Kwak! What are you doing?! Apologize to the parents immediately!”

 

“And to my Jin-hyuk, too!”

 

“Yes! Apologize to Jin-hyuk as well!”

 

“And it would be appropriate if you got down on your knees.”

 

“Of course, Jin-hyuk’s mother! Head of Academic Affairs, what are you doing? Bring Lee Jin-hyuk here at once!”

 

Seriously, they all kept their mouths shut like mute puppets earlier, and now look at them—switching sides the moment the mood shifts. 

 

‘Disgusting.’

 

No—revolting.

 

At this point, I couldn’t keep pretending to be a substitute teacher filling in for Choi Kyo-bin.

 

It was time to take off the mask.

 

“Principal.”

 

But the principal didn’t even hear me. He was still bowing repeatedly, desperately trying to appease the parents.

 

Pathetic.

 

I let out a quiet sigh and raised my voice.

 

“Na Guk-jin, 23rd principal of Cheongha High School!”

 

The principal flinched and turned to me, stunned.

 

I gave him a faint smile.

 

“You’re fired, effective immediately.”

 

“Teacher Kwak Yoon-hoo! Are you crazy?! Who do you think you are to fire me—!”

 

Ring!

 

The principal’s phone rang loudly. He picked it up, intending to silence it—but ended up answering instead.

 

“Ah, Chairman. Sorry, but I’m—what? No, wait a minute… What did you just say?”

 

His face turned as white as a sheet. By now, he must’ve been hearing the news: Cheongha High School had just been sold… to someone named Kwak Yoon-hoo.

 

The surname Kwak wasn’t exactly common, and I couldn’t help but chuckle. Turning to the parents, I said confidently,

 

“Everyone, please take your seats again.”

 

“Are you giving us orders now?”

 

“Not an order—just a suggestion. From the new chairman of Cheongha High.”

 

The parents stared at me, eyes wide in shock. I didn’t bother to elaborate. Instead, I turned to the now-former principal.

 

“Mr. Na Guk-jin, what are you still doing here? Pack your things and leave. Mr. Kim Byung-chul, you too. You’re fired.”

 

Kim Byung-chul’s face was drained of color—just like the principal’s.

 

“Principal! There’s a problem!”

 

That was when the Head of Academic Affairs, who had gone to find Lee Jin-hyuk, came rushing back.

 

I stepped in before the former principal could respond.

 

“What is it?”

 

But the Head of Academic Affairs ignored me and looked only at Na Guk-jin.

 

“It’s Lee Jin-hyuk…”

 

“What about my Jin-hyuk?!”

 

Kim Jeong-hye shrieked.

 

“What happened to my Jin-hyuk?!”

 

“Well, um…”

 

“Let’s go check.”

 

I cut off the stammering reply and stood up.

 

“I think I know where he is.”

 

Knowing his personality, he likely went to the nurse’s office—to find Lee Yoo-seong.

 

But the one he ran into there… wasn’t Yoo-seong.

 

“Jin-hyuk! My son!”

 

“Ugh… Mom…!”

 

“Jin-hyuk!”

 

“Such a touching reunion. I could cry from jealousy,” Seo Jong-pil muttered sarcastically.

 

Clutching her bruised son, Kim Jeong-hye turned sharply to him.

 

“Who are you?! Was it you?!”

 

“So what if it was?”

 

Soo whaaat?

 

“Are you out of your mind?! Do you even know who you just touched?! Do you know who my Jin-hyuk is?!”

 

“Who is he?”

 

“What?”

 

“No, seriously—who? I honestly have no idea, ma’am.”

 

“M-Ma’am?!”

 

“Oh—should I call you ‘miss’ instead?”

 

The way he said it so casually made him sound like a total thug.

 

But wait… where was Lee Yoo-seong? He was supposed to be in the nurse’s office too. Had he not been here?

 

Just then—

 

“Au… Aunt?”

 

Lee Yoo-seong appeared, arms full of bread.

 

“Lee Yoo-seong!”

 

Kim Jeong-hye snapped, storming toward him.

 

Then—

 

Slap!

 

She struck him hard across the face.

 

“Where were you while Jin-hyuk was ending up like this?!”

 

Lee Yoo-seong blinked, stunned, then quickly bowed his head.

 

“I… I’m sorry…”

 

“Don’t apologize.”

 

I stepped in.

 

Lee Yoo-seong looked up at me, startled—like he hadn’t expected anyone to speak for him. I met his gaze calmly and said firmly,

 

“Yoo-seong, don’t apologize. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

 

He just stared at me in a daze.

 

“Seo Do-hwan, take Yoo-seong and go.”

 

“Can I take him home?”

 

“Yeah. There should be a car waiting out front.”

 

“Got it.”

 

Seo Do-hwan guided the still-dazed Yoo-seong out of the room.

 

“W-What?! Where do you think you’re taking my nephew?! Hey! Stop right there!”

 

“Jin-hyuk’s mother.”

 

I stepped in front of her with a pleasant smile.

 

“Yoo-seong isn’t your nephew.”

 

Technically speaking, it was her husband—Jin-hyuk’s father—who was related to him.

 

“He’s Lee Hak-joon’s nephew.”

 

Kim Jeong-hye stared at me in shock, as if she had no idea how I knew that. Then—her phone rang loudly, making her flinch.

 

“Hello? Honey? Why weren’t you answering?! Something terrible happened—It’s Jin-hyuk, he—”

 

Her frantic voice suddenly stopped.

 

“W-What did you just say? That’s not true, right? I must’ve misheard. Please tell me I misheard…”

 

Each word came out shaking. A moment later, she lowered her phone with a blank expression—just like Yoo-seong earlier.

 

“Mom? What’s wrong?”

 

Lee Jin-hyuk asked, but she didn’t answer.

 

No—she couldn’t.

 

She had probably just been told her husband was dishonorably discharged from his position.

 

Fortunately, everything was resolved at just the right moment.

 

“Why don’t you take your son and head home, ma’am? I’ll mark him as having left early.”

 

She glared at me with bloodshot eyes, but said nothing. Grabbing her son’s wrist, she stormed out of the nurse’s office.

 

“M-Mom? What’s going on? Why are you acting like this?”

 

“Stop talking and just follow me.”

 

Once they were gone, I turned back to the group of parents and smiled.

 

“So—PTA President, everyone else—what would you like to do? Shall we continue the conversation? It seems we’ll be holding a parent meeting soon… to discuss Cheongha High School’s new future.”

 

The group, who had silently watched everything unfold, exchanged uncertain looks. After a beat of hesitation, someone finally spoke.

 

***

 

“U-uh, Jong-pil…”

 

Lee Yoo-seong finally came to his senses after arriving at Kwak Yoon-hoo’s mansion. As they made their way to Yoon-hoo’s room, the older boy casually corrected him.

 

“Not Jong-pil. It’s Seo Do-hwan.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“My name’s Seo Do-hwan.”

 

Oh—and he was twenty-seven years old.

 

“Since I’m eight years older than you, call me ‘hyung.’”

 

“Hyung…?”

 

Lee Yoo-seong blinked, clearly stunned. The guy calling himself Seo Do-hwan looked way older than a high schooler—but still, twenty-seven?!

 

‘Well… at least he’s not thirty,’ Yoo-seong thought, oddly comforted.

 

“Huh? Uh-huh. Yeah. No! I mean—I’m fine!”

 

“Why’re you suddenly so formal?” Seo Do-hwan chuckled, opening the door to the room.

 

He motioned for Lee Yoo-seong to get comfortable and walked over to a drawer.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

“Getting a patch.”

 

“A patch?” Lee Yoo-seong tilted his head.

 

Seo Do-hwan found what he was looking for and tossed it over.

 

“Stick that on your cheek. That woman slapped you pretty hard. If you don’t want it swelling up, just listen to me.”

 

“I—I’m fine…”

 

“No, you’re not. So put it on. Or do you want me to do it for you?”

 

Lee Yoo-seong hesitated, then quietly opened the patch. Seeing the boy finally follow instructions, Seo Do-hwan casually tugged at his own hair—revealing it was a wig.

 

“Eh? Huh?”

 

“What? Oh—the hair? Yeah, it’s a wig. Even if Cheongha High doesn’t care much about hairstyles, the boss figured red hair might be a bit much.”

 

“N-no, I meant… weren’t you the guy with Teacher Kwak at the department store?”

 

“Department store?”

 

Seo Do-hwan looked confused for a second, then snapped his fingers.

 

“Ah, right! Yeah, we met there.”

 

Lee Yoo-seong glanced at him nervously, then asked with hesitation:

 

“Um… hyung and Teacher Kwak… are you two…?”

 

“Don’t ask about our relationship. I don’t even know what it is.” Seo Do-hwan waved it off. “More importantly—why didn’t you fight back?”

 

‘Why didn’t he fight back?’

 

Lee Yoo-seong dropped his gaze.

 

“…Because it doesn’t hurt. Even when I get hit.”

 

So he was okay with it.

 

But Seo Do-hwan wasn’t.

 

“So you let them hit you just because it doesn’t hurt?”

 

Lee Yoo-seong gave a small nod.

 

Seo Do-hwan scoffed and suddenly pulled out a fistful of candy, shoving them all into his mouth.

 

Crunch, crunch!

 

He chewed loudly and without pause. Then—

 

Tack!

 

He flicked Lee Yoo-seong right on the forehead.

 

“…!”

 

Lee Yoo-seong’s eyes widened in shock.

 

“That hurt, didn’t it?”

 

Without even realizing it, the boy nodded. It hurt so much his skull throbbed. It was the first real pain he’d felt since returning.

 

Tears welled up in the corners of his eyes.

 

Seo Do-hwan gave a low chuckle.

 

“No one’s immune to pain, Lee Yoo-seong.”

 

The boy’s eyes trembled slightly.

 

Then, Seo Do-hwan reached out—

 

“You’ve been through a lot.”

 

—and gave him a rough but oddly gentle pat on the head.

 

Maybe it was the first bit of kindness Lee Yoo-seong had felt in a long time. His face twisted, like he might burst into tears at any moment.

 

And then, the tears finally spilled over. They streamed down his cheeks.

 

“Seo Do-hwan.”

 

That’s when Kwak Yoon-hoo returned.

 

“Oh, hey, Boss. You’re back?”

 

“Yeah… but…”

 

You made the kid cry?

 

A cold voice cut through the room like a blade.

 

“I told you to look out for him, not turn him into a bread shuttle. And now you’ve got him crying?”

T/N: A “bread shuttle” refers to a kid who is forced by bullies to run errands and buy snacks for them.

 

“Wait, Boss—it’s not like that!”

 

“Not like that? Then what is it?”

 

“I swear! It’s a misunderstanding!” Seo Do-hwan shouted in a panic.

 

Through his tears, Lee Yoo-seong glanced between the two—Kwak Yoon-hoo, who had appeared out of nowhere, and Seo Do-hwan—before suddenly letting out a laugh.

 

He didn’t even know why.

 

“I—I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t be laughing, but… I just can’t help it.”

 

Yeah… he just laughed.

 

“I really don’t know why I’m laughing…”

 

“It’s okay,” Kwak Yoon-hoo said softly. “If you want to laugh, then laugh. If you want to cry, then cry.”

 

The boy, who had been laughing while wiping his tears, began to cry again.

 

Seo Do-hwan quietly handed him a tissue.

 

Kwak Yoon-hoo didn’t say another word. He simply waited.

 

Waited until the boy who had ended his own life more times than he could count…

 

…finally let go of all the pain he’d been holding in—

 

—and smiled, for real.