Chapter 133

<The Eccentric Negotiator (2)>

Every morning, Jin-hyuk is the first to arrive at school to exercise. Except for rainy days, he hasn’t missed a single day since his first year.

Running around the schoolyard and climbing ropes, he noticed something in his peripheral vision.

‘I think there’s a new student in a wheelchair.’

It was a student who always arrived early, with their mother pushing the wheelchair.

He didn’t know what the issue was, but seeing them use the wheelchair for over a month, it might be a permanent condition.

Of course, it’s just speculation.

‘I’ve been too indifferent to my surroundings.’

Even the first-floor classrooms require climbing stairs, so the student’s mother and others must struggle every time. First-year students use the first floor, but as they move up grades, they’ll have to go to the second and third floors. As the grades go up, the mother will have to carry the student and lift the wheelchair.

‘Isn’t there some way to help?’

Maybe making a ramp on part of the stairs for the wheelchair would work. The school could take the initiative without being asked. It’s a shame they haven’t done anything so far.

‘I feel bad for thinking of using this for the election.’

Are humans really this worldly and reward-driven?

He felt oddly ashamed.

He didn’t plan to collect achievements like trophies. But if his parents would be proud, it might not be bad to give it a try. Getting elected as student council president at a rural middle school wouldn’t make the news, and it wouldn’t disrupt his daily life.

‘I’ve changed.’

Thinking this was also part of human desire as social animals, Jin-hyuk realized he had evolved a step further.

Maybe Jin-hyuk’s expression was too serious, as his dad awkwardly said, “Jin-hyuk, you know you don’t have to do it if you don’t want to, right?”

Jin-hyuk wasn’t listening.

He was focused on checking his serious disqualifications.

‘The kids don’t really like me.’

It was a well-known fact that the sensitive and emotional peers found Jin-hyuk difficult. He didn’t yell or resort to violence, but everyone thought crossing him could lead to trouble. The accident in his first year was too big.

‘To get votes from those people…’

Sigh, he sighed.

Is money the answer?

Of course, he didn’t plan to bribe anyone. He believed in fair competition. But to turn around his unpopularity and win, he needed his dad’s help.

The election fever finally started to kick in inside Son Jin-hyuk.

“Dad.”

“Huh?”

Jin-hyuk smirked.

“Want to negotiate with me?”

He felt like he understood the psychology of someone holding what the other wants and proposing a deal or threat.

It was this thrilling.

***

“Hello~.”

“Hi, Yoo-jin.”

Son Yoo-jin, who bowed to the driver, confidently boarded the school bus.

“Yoo-jin, have a good day~.”

“Okay~. Hehe~.”

She didn’t forget to turn around and wave to her mom.

“Son Yoo-jin, come here~.”

Kim Ho-jin, sitting at the back in his kindergarten uniform, gestured to Son Yoo-jin. Wearing a bright yellow round hat, Son Yoo-jin sat next to Kim Ho-jin.

“Did you sleep well, Kim Ho-jin?”

“Eee~.”

Son Yoo-jin has a unique way of speaking. It’s hard to tell if it’s informal or formal, but after hearing it for over a month, it became familiar. So, Kim Ho-jin sometimes mimics her at home, and his parents find it cute.

The yellow bus was said to be sponsored by a big company in Seoul for rural kids.

This yellow bus. He couldn’t read the letters yet, but seeing the characters at the school gate, it might be something like “Eodong something.”

Anyway.

According to the village elders, Son Yoo-jin’s dad had a hand in it, but Son Yoo-jin seemed clueless. If it were Kim Ho-jin, he’d brag about it every day.

After a few more minutes, the bus picked up another friend at the orchard.

It’s not just for kindergarteners. Any student going to Eodong Elementary can wait at the bus stop and wave, and the bus will stop. Sometimes grandmothers board too, and the driver helps them on.

At a midpoint, Lee Beom-ho and Lee Dong-ho got on.

Son Yoo-jin waved again.

“Hi, Lee Dong-ho.”

“Yoo-jin, no seat next to you again.”

Lee Dong-ho always tries to sit next to Son Yoo-jin, but it’s impossible. The latecomers can only sit next to the older kids.

Is it because he’s from the city? He lived in Seoul, but the kid has no charm or manners.

Anyway, Son Yoo-jin is a peculiar kid.

She greets everyone. No matter how familiar, Kim Ho-jin feels shy and can’t do it.

She greets brothers, sisters, and friends with a smile, so no one dislikes her.

Is it because she’s a girl? She doesn’t even have a runny nose.

Ah, the runny nose isn’t the point.

Kim Ho-jin asked, “Why do you greet so enthusiastically?”

“To be the president, you have to greet well.”

What’s she talking about?

He’s heard of class president or village head, but president is a new term.

Is it like the youth president?

Kim Ho-jin wiped his nose with his sleeve.

‘Greetings.’

Son Yoo-jin nodded seriously, as if making a resolution.

She recalled a conversation her brother had with their dad while considering running for student council president.

– “I’m not the type to greet well. My friends also find it hard to act familiar.”

– “You beat up the seniors, so it’s understandable.”

– “I didn’t beat them up…”

Her brother knocked them down but didn’t beat them up.

Truly, a brother worth learning from.

Son Yoo-jin also vowed not to beat people up.

‘If it’s dangerous, knock them down. Beating is bad.’

Smart Son Yoo-jin vaguely understood the difference.

Efficiently subduing enemies without enjoying violence itself.

It resonated with what Jang Jin-nam said when teaching her martial arts.

– “Violence is bad. It hurts the body, but the real injury is to the heart. Heart wounds don’t heal easily. I still remember being beaten by bullies when I was young.”

Heart wounds. Smart Son Yoo-jin vaguely understood the meaning.

It was easy to recall the betrayal she felt when her brother stole the milk powder.

Running through fields and mountains with Jang Gun-i and Hong-si, Son Yoo-jin was educated by many mentors, developing her character and intellect.

‘Greetings. President.’

Her brother seemed interested in the presidency.

Friends push her out, but she doesn’t know how many votes she’ll get.

If her brother becomes president, Son Yoo-jin should too.

That’s how she can be like him.

But her brother said it would be hard because he’s not good at greetings.

Tsk-. Should’ve prepared earlier.

So, Son Yoo-jin eagerly greets, looking forward to becoming president.

Finally, they arrived at school.

‘Bow to the teacher.’

Almost the last to get off, Son Yoo-jin bowed deeply.

The kindergarten teacher smiled brightly and patted Yoo-jin’s head.

“How does our Yoo-jin greet so beautifully?”

Good, positive.

Son Yoo-jin stretched her arm straight to her ear. She learned in kindergarten to raise her hand like this when she has something to say.

“Yoo-jin, what is it? Do you have something to say to the teacher?”

Finally.

She brought up what she’d been thinking.

“I’m running for president.”

“Huh?”

Kindergarten doesn’t have that?

***

The middle school student council election was just a stage to experience the so-called flower of democracy. That’s how the students saw it.

Thus, there was no particular reason to get excited about the student council election.

On election day, one afternoon class was skipped for pledge announcements and voting. Since there were no particularly popular candidates, the students’ reactions were lukewarm.

The most popular candidate was Chae Kyu-ho.

Kind and unpretentious, and good at basketball, he was quite popular among friends.

Chae Kyu-ho met a formidable opponent. Though he only seemed formidable to Chae Kyu-ho.

“Class president! You said you weren’t running! Don’t you know a man’s word is as good as gold?”

“It just happened…”

Chae Kyu-ho came to Jin-hyuk with a sad face, but Jin-hyuk closed his eyes and ignored him.

Why does this kid keep calling someone else’s class president “class president”?

Where’s a man’s word in an election, you naive kid. You encouraged me to run, and now you’re testing the waters.

“What’s your pledge?”

“Don’t you know secret elections?”

“What are you talking about? Voting is secret, but pledges are promises to voters during the campaign-.”

Okay, that’s enough. Jin-hyuk raised his hand to cut Chae Kyu-ho off.

This kid’s throwing around gold too much, Jin-hyuk muttered nonsense.

‘This kid’s too smart.’

He’s making me speechless.

Looking back, he might’ve taught him too well since they became desk mates in first year.

‘They say you can’t collect black-haired beasts.’

Was it black-haired beasts?

Anyway, among hormone-driven males, he was a friend capable of logical and rational conversation, but Jin-hyuk doesn’t enjoy chit-chat.

‘I’m tired.’

No matter how much he trains his stamina, mental fatigue isn’t easily offset.

Other candidates were appealing for votes, touring the school. They shook hands with every class from first to third year. He’d seen it somewhere…

Jin-hyuk didn’t even do that. Not because he was confident of winning.

‘I’m embarrassed.’

He worried if running was a mistake.

With Jin-hyuk quiet, his classmates quickly lost interest.

Teachers entering for class occasionally showed interest.

“Is there a candidate here too?”

“Class president.”

“Hmm, okay. He’s qualified.”

That was it.

Though a model student, the teachers knew how much of a loner Son Jin-hyuk was among students.

“Teacher!”

“Yeah, what?”

When Lee Seung-hoon raised his hand, the teacher gestured with his chin.

“On National Assembly election day, we get a day off, so why don’t we get a day off for student council elections?”

“Come here.”

The teacher was strict.

Seung-hoon, that kid, gets beaten for saying unnecessary things.

Watching Lee Seung-hoon get hit on the palm with a bamboo pointer, Jin-hyuk chuckled with his friends. True friendship is like that.

***

Finally, judgment day arrived.

Jin-hyuk, wearing a sash with the number 5, sat on the chair prepared on the stage.

The blazing sun seemed like a sign of doom to Jin-hyuk. He didn’t want to stay on stage.

‘Why am I nervous?’

To relax, he listened to the other candidates’ speeches. If there were good pledges, it would be good for the voters no matter who won.

But Jin-hyuk had to stifle laughter listening to the other candidates’ speeches. It was just cute seeing kids mimic politicians, and the repertoire.

[If I become student council president, I will-.]

That line is something even high school candidates say.

They probably don’t follow through.

[I will only make promises I can keep! Create a studious atmosphere to make Taeyang Middle School the best in the country-.]

Studious atmosphere, nice.

Maybe that kid is saying he can’t study because of the school atmosphere.

[I will make it possible to borrow library books freely-.]

No, borrowing library books is a matter of will, not regulation. Candidate 3 has a knack for making the school look like a villain.

[A student council by students, for students, of students-!]

I was wondering when that line would come.

Unable to bear the clichés, all the students listening on the field sighed. Some yawned or drew with their feet.

Unfazed by the audience’s reaction, the three candidates launched into a lively nonsense fest.

Candidate 4 was Chae Kyu-ho.

The likely winner, representative of the Black Hair Party.

[I will stop the high school seniors from monopolizing the field during lunch!]

He glanced at Jin-hyuk behind him.

Ignoring the bewildered Jin-hyuk, Chae Kyu-ho continued passionately. His voice, still clear before puberty, had a sharpness fitting his nickname, Jaguar.

[Do you want a school without bullies? A school safe from smoking, glue, and gas? I, Chae Kyu-ho, will join hands with candidate Son Jin-hyuk behind me-.]

Hey, hey. What’s this trickery without prior discussion? This is why the Black Hair Party leader-.

Wow~!

Huh? But surprisingly, the students’ reactions were good. Especially the first and second years. They must’ve felt the seniors’ pressure at school.

Chae Kyu-ho! Chae Kyu-ho!

The field was filled with cheers for Chae Kyu-ho.

‘Should I withdraw now?’

Maybe unify with Kyu-ho.

While Jin-hyuk was lost in wild thoughts, it was his turn.

He bowed, but the applause was quieter than the other four candidates. But cold shoulders were familiar, and silence was comforting.

Expressionlessly adjusting the mic height, he looked around at the friends and juniors gathered on the field.

Third-year peers in casual clothes and first and second years in uniforms. The mismatch caused by uniforms being introduced for his juniors.

Everyone was looking at Jin-hyuk on stage with sparkling eyes.

Alright, let’s hear what he has to say. That’s what Jin-hyuk’s eyes read.

Overwhelmed by awkwardness, Jin-hyuk puffed his cheeks.

‘Damn. I’m screwed.’

I miss my mom.