I Became the Leader of Academy City

7 – Rule 5. The Head Prefect Worries About the Deputy

Oh Baek Seo.

As the deputy head of the student discipline committee at Ahsung High School, among the students, I am known as the “right hand of the head prefect.”

The image that I have of Baek Seo is that of a master of discernment. Sometimes she would treat me as if she could read my mind or see into the future. If this were a workplace, Baek Seo would undoubtedly be on the fast track to promotion.

Lately, however, she has been showing signs of disarray.

“It’s rather strange.”

Baek Seo’s hand was wrapped in a bandage.

It was due to a burn.

Though the healing wizard in the infirmary proclaimed that it would be completely healed in four days thanks to a recovery spell, I couldn’t help but worry every time I saw it.

Since our first year, Baek Seo had always been a paragon of perfection. It would have been the first time I had seen her unravel since starting school at Ahsung High.

“Well, nobody’s perfect.”

Since we became the head and deputy head prefects, spending a lot of time together, I got to see sides of her that were normally hidden.

I nodded my head, coming to accept this.

Discovering her new facets was, in fact, quite pleasant. It made her seem more human.

Separate from that feeling, of course, there was worry.

“…Couldn’t be that something bad has happened, right?”

If Baek Seo shows a moment of disarray once more.

I would seriously ask Baek Seo if something was up and, through counseling or any means necessary, I would provide help.

After all, Baek Seo is my closest confidant and dear friend.

Thump thump!

Suddenly, the sound of someone running noisily in the corridor reached my ears.

Soon the door to the discipline committee office was flung open.

“The wild Ha Ye Sung has appeared!”

As expected.

“Welcome.”

“Hiya, Chief!”

Ha Ye Sung, in charge of the crackdown on indecent behavior, appeared in the discipline committee office.

“Come on in.”

Deputy head Oh Baek Seo, who had been sipping tea at the table and reviewing the agenda, greeted Ye Sung.

“Baek Seo, zing! You’re as beautiful as ever today! Huff, puff!”

Yesongmon enjoyed the gentle touch of the trainer Oh Baekseo, who was smiling thoughtfully.

It was a usual sight.

Yesong followed Baekseo like an idol, with immense liking.

Although this affection had the side effect of turning Yesong into a puppy, or rather “a doggy”, it was clearly a wonderful feeling.

“Is your hand alright now? Doesn’t it hurt? Our Baekseo’s precious hand…”

“It’s fine.”

While keeping an eye away from the documents he was reading, he quietly observed the exchange between Baekseo and Yesong.

“Hmmm…”

Ever since he became the head of the disciplinary committee, he had a growing feeling every time he saw Yesong.

It was perhaps the discomfort that had arisen since he had seated Yesong in an executive position. This discomfort became more pronounced when compared to Baekseo beside him.

It was about the length of her skirt.

That girl, even after becoming an executive, her skirt was too short.

Her legs were too bare.

‘Should I say or should I not…’

As he recalled from his past life, addressing the length of a skirt at work constituted s*xual harassment in the workplace.

Hence, his lingering confusion.

It would be troublesome if Yesong were to feel s*xually humiliated.

“Sir, do you have something to say to me?”

Yesong asked me with a curious expression.

…It wouldn’t do.

I’ll say it today.

‘A flaw in an executive can directly lead to the diminishment of my authority.’

I judged it as an issue that needed to be taken seriously.

I also had a basis to point out her skirt length.

“Yesong Ha.”

“Yes, sir.”

I pointed at Yesong and chided her.

“According to Article 45, Clause 5, Paragraph 2 of the school rules, the length of the skirt should be no more than 10cm above the knee. I have been respecting the individuality of our students and have been lenient on this matter, but even so, your skirt length is way beyond the standard.”

“?”

“You’re also a disciplinary committee executive now. You have to adhere strictly to the school rules and be a role model to the students. If you want to wear a short skirt, wear trousers instead. If you want to show your legs, why not wear shorts?”

“……?”

“If it’s also your duty as the decency patrol, you need to be even more careful.”

Hmm…

Was that too much of a cliched nagging?

No.

‘This is an unavoidable sermon.’

How could I tolerate the sight of someone responsible for the misconduct patrol blatantly violating the dress code with her short skirt, exposing her legs carelessly?

Yesong, as a member of the discipline committee, needed to adhere to the uniform regulations.

“……”

Yet for some reason, Yesong stared at me with glaring eyes, silently.

She soon showed an unexpected reaction.

“Old fogey.”

“What?”

I doubted my own ears for a moment.

It was a word that absolutely didn’t fit with me.

Yesong turned toward me, leaned on the back of the sofa, and launched into a rant.

“Chief, you are such an old fogey! Your thinking is stuck in the old ages! I’m appalled that there’s still someone like that among the new generation!”

I couldn’t believe it.

‘To call someone with such a progressive mindset like me an old fogey…?’

The lecture I had just given was for you, for me, for the discipline committee, for all of us.

And that makes me an old fogey?

That makes no sense at all.

“…Ha Yesong. Even if it was a joke, that’s not something I can just let slide.”

“Really?”

“Of course not. You’re the only one I’ve ever heard say that.”

Including all my past lives.

“Huh?”

Yesong covered her mouth with her hand, letting out a sly chuckle.

“Ahh… I see.”

Yesong slowly inched closer to the desk where I sat.

“Isn’t that it over there?”

The look in Yesong’s eyes suggested she had found her prey.

“Section Chief?”

Leaning towards me, Yesong placed a hand over her mouth and whispered conspiratorially, “Shall we put it to the test?”

“Test?”

“Let’s determine today whether the Section Chief is a stick-in-the-mud or not.”

Interesting proposition.

I had no idea what she was referring to, but I was confident.

“Alright, let’s see what you’ve got.”

I accepted the challenge.

Should Yesong push some absurd argument to prove I was old-fashioned, I was fully prepared to counter by pointing out the logical flaws in her case.

“What about including the Deputy Chief?”

We couldn’t possibly leave our dear Deputy Chief out of this.

“Shall we?”

With a sly smile, Baekseo joined the fray.

“It’s fine if we do it together, right?”

“What does it matter? Shall I present the problem?”

Nonchalantly resting her hand on my desk, Yesong posed her challenge with a spirited edge.

“You were at a barbecue joint for the student guidance committee’s dinner! But then, one of your subordinates isn’t grilling the meat and is just greedily gobbling it up! What will the Section Chief and the Deputy Chief do in this situation!?”

“What…?”

‘The subordinate isn’t grilling the meat…?’

Could that really happen…?

It was a surprisingly potent question that threw me off balance.

‘Is that… uncomfortable?’

The more I pondered it, the more my mouth twitched at the bizarre dilemma.

I recalled my past life.

In the army, at the workplace, such an incident was beyond imagination.

And it wasn’t any different here, in the student guidance committee.

Last year at the dinner, I diligently grilled cultured meat myself!

Yet.

“Pointing out to grill meat here or rushing my subordinates, anyone would see it as a fast track to becoming an old fogey.”

No matter how I thought about it, the situation felt uncomfortable and suffocating.

In that moment, a question raised its head and my eyes widened.

“Am I… was I actually an old fogey all along?”

My hand holding the pen quivered uncontrollably.

No matter what, my mind seemed to lean towards a response that an old fogey would give. What could I do about it?

“Calm down.”

First, I put the response on hold.

Straightening my upper body with authority, I carefully opened my mouth.

“Conversely.”

“Huh?”

“Let’s say you’re at a BBQ restaurant for a team dinner. There, if the third-year seniors were personally grilling the meat, and you became aware of the fact that you were only eating while they worked, what would you do, Yeseong?”

To my cautious question, Yeseong answered with a bright smile.

“I would ask them to grill it even tastier!”

!

‘How could she say that…!?’

The very thought was enough to make my blood boil.

“You should be grilling it yourself!”

Why aren’t you grilling your own meat?

The third-year seniors are grilling for us, and you’re just eating…!

“Hmm.”

On the outside, I pretended to be calm and pondered.

Should I answer truthfully, or craft my response with a hint of a lie to soften it?

Should I admit to being an old fogey or not?

That question stirred anxiety in my mind and made me feel an immense weight.

This was a serious issue that led to self-reflection.

It was far from a light-hearted Q&A.

Like casting a spell on myself, I commanded.

“As the leader of the disciplinary committee of Asung High, a faction of about 400, and ranking first in the school’s hierarchy of strength, this is a matter I must clarify. Whether the commander is an old fogey or not is an issue that cannot be overlooked in terms of the satisfaction of the disciplinary committee’s activities.”

No matter how much charisma the student council president had, if the satisfaction level of club activities was low, the loyalty of student council members would naturally decrease and morale would decline.

Therefore, as a leader, I needed to correctly establish my values.

‘I thought it would be a light question and answer…’

Even though I had been reborn in this world and spent 17 years, I had never stood at such an agonizing crossroads.

What should I answer?

What would be the most appropriate answer as student council president An Woo-jin?

“Still.”

Then,

With a skeptical look on his face, Baek Seo opened his mouth.

“Isn’t it wrong to ask your juniors to grill for you?”

“Eh…?”

Baek Seo spoke emphatically.

“I think it’s a matter of politeness. If manners between seniors and juniors are that lacking, it can be rather troublesome. Especially since we, more than anywhere else, need to maintain a clear senior-junior relationship in the student council, right? Somehow, it’s like that.”

‘Baek Seo…!’

How could he give such a clear answer!?

That refreshing feeling.

As always, our vice-president never disappointed me.

“Huh…?”

Whether Ye-song, who was always gentle, did not expect such an answer from Baek Seo’s mouth, she looked surprised.

There was an unexpected silence for a moment.

Eventually, Ye-song barely opened her mouth.

“Is it… like that…?”

Just as calculated, Baek Seo is Ye-song’s idol.

It seemed hard to dare to call Baek Seo old-fashioned, even if the other person is not me.

Baek Seo looked at me.

“President?”

“I’m the same as the vice president.”

“Is that so?”

Vice president, it’s somehow naturally exchanged.

As if having expected it to flow like this.

Eyesong let out a sigh, “Uh-huh,” and after pondering for a while, she spoke again.

“So, let’s put off the answer for now. Let’s move on to the next question! Do you often tell the juniors, using phrases like ‘back in my day,’ that things are more convenient now?”

“I haven’t said it often because it’s the beginning of the new semester, but it’s true that the club president has been keeping the students in check. I think it’s better now than last year, at least, so that’s why I said so.”

“And… if you see a junior coming in later than you during club activities? Do you find it annoying?”

“Unless I arrived early because I had other unavoidable work? Still, I’d think that a junior should come in earlier than me, as a general rule.”

“Do you think it’s proper for juniors to attend get-togethers whenever possible?”

“Wouldn’t that be good? Our juniors are newcomers after all. They’ve just started participating in club activities, so I think it’s good to make an effort to build some camaraderie, even if it’s just a little.”

As Eyesong fired questions, Baek Seo responded with the smile of a fairy, never hesitating.

Each time, Baek Seo would turn to me and ask, “What about the president?” to which I had no choice but to reply, “Me too.”

Eyesong seemed shocked, stuttering in response.

My inability to play along, as the answers I would normally have given were preemptively articulated by Baek Seo, had caught me off guard.

‘This…’

I wondered if this situation might tarnish my image?

Somehow, it felt as if the vice president had taken the fall for me, as if trying to protect my image.

“Hmm…”

Baek Seo awkwardly smiled, curling her index finger around her hair in a twirl.

Her eyes shifted sideways.

It seemed as if she was deliberately performing awkward expressions and gestures, but the kind and innocent vice president couldn’t possibly be pretending.

Soon after, Baek Seo cautiously turned to Eyesong and me to ask,

“Was I, perhaps, being a bit old-fashioned?”

“No way, there’s no way Baek Seo could be an old fogey!”

Eyesong vehemently shook her head in a dramatic response.

If Baek Seo, revered as a goddess and angel at Aseong High School, was labeled an old fogey, then the word ‘old fogey’ would have to at least be synonymous with ‘saint.’

Whoosh! Eyesong quickly turned to me again, managing a forced smile and nod.

“Hmm, seems like there must have been something wrong with the question! If the world calls Baek Seo an old fogey, then it must be the world that’s mistaken!”

That valuation was indeed justifiable.

The problem wasn’t with our vice president; it was with the world.

Eyesong returned to her seat on the sofa, looking deflated.

Like a child who had spotted a coveted toy but couldn’t play with it, she couldn’t hide her disappointment.

Presently, Eyesong bowed her head.

“I was arrogant… I apologize for trying to judge what a know-it-all is with my complacent and narrow-minded thinking….”

“Hmm? There’s no need to apologize… I don’t understand why you’re saying sorry.”

Baek Seo looked puzzled for a moment but then smiled kindly and stroked Yesong’s head.

That’s when I asked.

“So what about the skirt?”

“I’ll lengthen it…”

Yesong stepped back.

Well, that’s settled, then.

“But how many questions were you going to ask?”

Baek Seo asked Yesong in a friendly tone.

“About twelve? Forget it, I’ll just scrap them all… I’ve lost interest. I’d rather enjoy more of Baek Seo’s touch…”

Hmm.

But this.

‘It ended too simply.’

The really important Q&A didn’t happen.

‘But…’

Yesong might have asked those questions in jest, but unintentionally, they had given me a significant task.

It wasn’t just a matter of protecting the dignity and authority of my role as leader of the disciplinary committee.

It was a fundamental condition I needed to fulfill with a sense of responsibility as a commander.

How should I lead the disciplinary committee in the future?

At every moment, how should I compromise between honesty and hypocrisy?

I needed to find that proper balance…

“Leader, deep in thought?”

“Boss, thinking something naughty?”

As I tried to seriously contemplate my posture as the head of the disciplinary committee, I was forcibly interrupted by Dog and Angel.

……

“Three days ago, around 12:49 PM, there was a hostage situation in the second cafeteria.”

The sunset light streamed through the window, gently illuminating the office. I’d deliberately not turned on the lights, appreciating the ambiance.

Sitting at my desk, I listened to the incident briefing from the vice leader of the disciplinary committee, Oh Baek Seo. She stood in front of me, looking at the documents as she continued to speak.

While listening attentively, I caught glimpses of Oh Baek Seo’s hand holding the clipboard. Though her burn had healed and she had removed the bandage, it still captured my attention.

“The perpetrator caused a ruckus, capturing the victim and confronting the meal committee. Even utilized magic.”

The meal committee was a club handling all school meals.

They planned balanced, nutritious meals suitable for the students’ different age and developmental stages, took care of cooking and serving the food.

Such an essential role they held.

Clicking his tongue as he looked over the details of the culprit outlined in the report, he blurted out,

“Launching a hostile act against the meal committee is like declaring war on the school itself. There is no room for normal contemplation. Punished with the highest degree of severity, according to school regulations.”

“I got it, I’ll reflect on that. But 600 students submitted a petition for his acquittal. Should I ignore that?”

“Hmm?”

What now?

“A petition? From 600 students in three days?”

Baek Seo nodded his head.

Attacking the meal committee obstructs public interest. An unforgivable felony.

He couldn’t understand why so many students would support the perpetrator.

… Hold on.

“What was the criminal’s motive?”

“It seems he was disgruntled about the mint chocolate in the school menu. The day it was served was the trigger.”

He sighed heavily.

He automatically swallowed a breath of exasperation.

“Also, he confessed that he couldn’t stand it anymore when he saw that the menu for the month included mint chocolate three times.”

“Three times…?”

“The committee’s new nutritionist had insisted on it.”

Unbelievable.

This was ludicrous.

“Anyway. The felony is valid, so punished with the…”

“Deputy Chief.”

I narrowed my eyes and leaned on the desk, staring intensely at Baek Seo.

For some reason, Baek Seo made eye contact and grinned.

“Why, Chief?”

“As the Disciplinary Chief, I decree. Reduce the intensity of the punishment to a minimum.”

“Huh?”

“It was an illegal act for the sake of public welfare. There’s enough room for justifiable consultation.”

Isn’t that person a hero who sacrificed himself for the future of the school?

Nevertheless, it was inevitable to impose a cool-headed punishment for breaking the rules.

‘Sigh.’

I was frustrated about being limited to just this.

I apologize for being inadequate to this extent, my hero…

“Mm… okay.”

Baek Seo shrugged her shoulders.

‘Huh?’

Are they just accepting it?

Baek Seo gathered up the documents clipped onto her clipboard as a gesture of completing her reporting duties, and hugged them to herself.

“You’re not asking why?”

“I’m the person who serves the chief most closely, right? So, I should follow your orders without discerning why. Leave the justifiable consultation to me.”

“……”

Baek Seo spoke as though it were a given.

She leaned against her chair subtly.

“Hmm…”

“Chief, what’s wrong?”

I know.

‘She wasn’t this obedient in the game.’

Even though Baek Seo’s role in the game was minor, it was clear she wasn’t someone who followed the chief so well.

Lately, paying more attention to Baek Seo, made me think all sorts of thoughts.

And so, I felt it all the more.

“No, I’m thankful.”

That Baek Seo is a person I am very grateful for.

Baek Seo paused at my response, then smiled kindly.

“Really?”

Baek Seo extended her upper body towards me.

A subtle playful charm was evident on her face.

“If you are thankful for my loyalty, would you like to compliment me?”

“Hmm?”

Occasionally, Baek Seo would dive into conversations like this.

Watching for an opportunity, she would unexpectedly seize the end of my sentence and yank it hard.

“Sometimes I think I need to be praised to feel motivated?”

With a playful smile, Baek Seo sent me a look filled with anticipation.

‘This is a bit much, isn’t it?’

How she turned my saying “thank you” into an excuse for praise.

I couldn’t just let this slide.

The phrase that immediately came to mind was “competent and pretty.” Baek Seo was indeed a likable woman, someone I’d like to place first in line as a candidate to be my bride, if such a position were vacant.

But if I told someone who was not particularly close to me that she was “pretty,” it might make her feel burdened. It could also lead to an awkwardness between us.

“Well, then…”

From a colleague’s perspective…

I decided to just shower her with harmless compliments.

“You’re competent, strong, and diligent. Among all the people I’ve met, you belong to the near-perfect category. That’s why I want to keep you by my side in the future.”

“…Really?”

“Yes. You’re always reliable and supportive.”

“Hmm. Won’t you pat my head too?”

“Huh? No…? This hand was about to scratch my own head.”

Baek Seo sat up with her usual affectionate smile.

Her lips twitched intermittently. Her fingers clutching the clipboard seemed to be tense, as if she was nervous.

“That’s fortunate. If you had gone any further, I couldn’t have endured it.”

“Huh?”

Couldn’t have endured?

Ah.

‘Did it sound that cringey…?’

It hit me later.

I just used a cringey expression…

As I ruminated over what I had just said, I felt my hands and feet shrink in embarrassment.

Clearly, Baek Seo holding the clipboard tightly and her subtly trembling hands were also trying to suppress that same cringe.

With a swift turn, Baek Seo walked over to the table and began to pack her things.

He moved faster than usual.

“Chief, I’m done for today, so I’m going to head out.”

“Ah, okay… Take care.”

“See you tomorrow.”

With a smile in my direction, Baek Seo left the office.

His pace was quicker than normal.

“…Ah.”

I placed a hand on my chin and forehead.

I’m not unaware.

The reason Baek Seo didn’t extend our playful interaction and instead made a quick exit.

It must have been his inability to bear the awkwardness, trying not to show it.

‘I should have just stopped at “it’s nice that you’re competent”…’

I said too much, too honestly, when I’d meant to give a plain response.

Today, I might have even damaged the image Baek Seo has of me.