The Top Student Hides Her Regression
Chapter 40
Holding the ballot, Student A of Class 2-2 thought to themselves.
‘It’s surprisingly hard to choose.’
Who should I vote for?
Park Suhwan or Kang Da-hye.
If one of them were overwhelmingly superior, it would be an easy choice, but since they seemed pretty neck and neck, it was hard to decide.
The homeroom teacher, who taught politics, took voting so seriously that they had even turned the teacher’s podium into a makeshift voting booth and ballot box.
Starting from student number one, they each went up in order, signed the roster the teacher had prepared, and squatted down in the voting booth to cast their vote. The teacher had even wanted to check student IDs to verify identities, but Kang Da-hye talked them out of it, saying they didn’t have enough time.
Student A was up next.
So, who should I vote for?
Honestly, in terms of sheer capability, it was Kang Da-hye.
She was pretty, got good grades, and had a great personality.
Calling them neck and neck didn’t mean their actual capabilities were on par.
‘Someone like Kang Da-hye would be pretty good.’
During the last pop quiz, when A had panicked after forgetting an eraser, Kang Da-hye had lent hers, saying she didn’t need one since she wouldn’t get any answers wrong anyway.
Ah, but…
‘There’s just something about it.’
A couldn’t put it into words, but something just felt off.
Not that there was anything wrong with Kang Da-hye.
Hmm.
‘It’d be so great if Jaegyeom was class president.’
Wouldn’t it be perfect if Seo Jae-gyeom was president and Kang Da-hye was vice president? She was smart and meticulous, so she could just support him by his side.
Still, saying something like that out loud felt like a surefire way to get cursed out.
“Whoever’s next, stand up and line up in advance.”
In the end, without having made up their mind, A stood up from the desk.
After cross-checking A’s face in line with the photo in the attendance book, the homeroom teacher handed over a ballot.
A squatted down in the shoddy voting booth.
“…Ah. Whatever.”
After much agonizing, A stamped the ballot.
==============
[Vote Tally]
Kang Da-hye : 正正正正二 (22)
Park Suhwan : 正一 (6)
Invalid : 二 (2)
==============
“Congrats, Kang Da!”
Sitting in front of me, Su-a spun around and drummed furiously on my desk.
“Agh, I told you I didn’t want to do it!”
Park Suhwan, having managed to scrape together six votes anyway, went bright red and vented his frustration at Do Hajun. Do Hajun stammered in flustered confusion, unable to even say, ‘You’re the one who told me to nominate you…’
Still, Park Suhwan’s popularity shouldn’t have been that terrible.
Lately, he must have lost massive favor with the class by scoffing at Doyeon getting along with the other kids, sneering about how girls change their tune so ridiculously fast.
Six votes meant that even among the boys chanting Park Suhwan’s name, several hadn’t actually voted for him.
I was in a daze.
‘Me… class president?’
Of course I’d wanted to do it. Honestly, I’d wanted it really badly. But it actually worked?
Because everyone had been shouting only Park Suhwan’s name (and indeed, before my regression, Park Suhwan was the one elected), I thought I would lose.
Was offering to share my class notes really that powerful?
“Why did they vote for me?”
“Because you deserve it, that’s why!”
At the candid thought that slipped out unconsciously, Su-a smacked the back of my hand.
“People might not say it out loud, but everyone notices. Ever since you stood up to Song Yeo-reum in the cafeteria, plenty of kids have thought you’re incredible.”
“It wasn’t that big a deal, though……”
“Yes it was! They say that after you stepped up like that, even the kids in Class 6 have had an easier time at school.”
Class 6 was Song Yeo-reum’s homeroom.
“Even without that, you’re total leader material. Honestly, if not you, Da-hye, who else in our class could be president?”
“…Park Suhwan?”
“Ugh. No way.”
Su-a whispered with visible distaste, complaining that he was way too swaggering and obnoxious.
“Besides, I honestly prefer having a girl as class president. It’s so much easier to talk about all sorts of things.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. And hey, even our country’s president is a woman now.”
“Uh, what?”
Ah, wait a second. Let’s not go there.
I waved my hands frantically, cutting that comparison off immediately.
X The only thing I have in common with that person is the last syllable of our names X
‘Am I… really class president?’
After the initial shock, the corners of my mouth slowly curled upward.
‘Is it okay to be happy about this?’
Of course it was, right?
“Congratulations, Kang Da-hye!”
“Congrats, Da-hye!”
“…Hehe.”
Woo, woohoo~
It’s my first time ever being class president!
Seo Jae-gyeom was elected vice president.
It was a landslide.
From the moment Seo Jae-gyeom stepped forward declaring he’d run for vice president, no one nominated anyone else, nor did anyone run against him.
As the sole candidate, he was elected with an overwhelming chorus of yes votes.
There was exactly one nay vote, and I was positive it was from Jung Eun-sung.
Why?
Because the exact moment Jae-gyeom’s yes votes crossed the majority and secured his victory, Jung Eun-sung crossed his arms and rolled his eyes straight up at the ceiling.
And for whatever reason, Seo Jae-gyeom seemed to know that the nay vote belonged to Jung Eun-sung too.
Why?
“Jae-gyeom-ah, come up here and stand next to Da-hye. Let’s take a photo.”
Because when Seo Jae-gyeom strode up to the chalkboard looking triumphant amid the class’s cheers, he glanced at Jung Eun-sung and smirked mockingly……
“Congratulations,”
I said to Seo Jae-gyeom, dusting the chalk powder off my hands from helping tally the votes. Only then did he tear his gaze away from Jung Eun-sung to look at me, breaking into a grin.
“Class President?”
“Yes, Vice President.”
“Take good care of me, okay?”
“Yeah, you too.”
“Let’s shake on it.”
“Sure.”
I casually took his large hand—which felt big enough to cover my entire face—and gave it a brief shake. I meant to end the interaction there, but Seo Jae-gyeom wasn’t done.
Eyes crinkling with playful charm, Seo Jae-gyeom suggested:
“Let’s take a picture.”
“A picture…?”
“Yeah.”
“I’d really rather not……”
“Why? Our class has to have the best-looking president and vice president duo in the entire school.”
“That’s not the point.”
“Come on. Let’s each make half a heart with our hands and put them together.”
“Are you insane?”
I refused in disgust, but—
“I love it!”
The homeroom teacher clapped like a seal in full agreement.
“Wear these too! I stopped by Daeopso after work yesterday and bought them!”
Out of the shopping bag that had held the ballot box came a white rabbit headband and a black cat headband, price tags still attached.
Taking the headbands from the teacher, Seo Jae-gyeom asked,
“Rabbit?”
“…Cat.”
At least that one looked somewhat less embarrassing, since the ears were smaller.
I reached out my hand in resignation. Ignoring my hand reaching for the headband, Seo Jae-gyeom placed it directly onto my head himself.
Putting on the rabbit headband himself, Seo Jae-gyeom leaned down toward me.
“Straighten these ears for me.”
“…….”
“Hurry.”
“Fine……”
Why is he being so clingy today?
“All right, let’s take it!”
Announcing that they’d use a paid filter app as a special treat, the teacher pulled out a phone. Standing right next to me, Seo Jae-gyeom pressed his arm against mine.
“You two, make a heart! A heart!”
Sigh.
“Da-hye, you have to smile!”
“^__^”
^^ A completely rigid smile ^^
“Oh, gorgeous! It came out so well!”
“Then can we go back to our—”
“No way! Now link arms with confidence! Back to back!”
With the teacher getting hyped up, the rest of the class joined in on the excitement. Soon, kids pulled out their own phones and started snapping photos of Seo Jae-gyeom and me.
“Seo Jae-gyeom-ssi, look over here, please~”
“Kang Da-hye-ssi, give us a heart~”
“All right, now the tiger pose~ Give us a roar, a roar~ One, two, three, rawr!”
“Rawr……”
“Strike your most confident pose~”
“Give each other a kiss~!”
“?!”
I felt like I was being thoroughly toyed with……
Later, when I checked the flood of photos in the class group chat, Seo Jae-gyeom looked like some idol while I looked like a politician……
The kind of conservative politician beloved by people in their fifties and sixties……
“This one came out great.”
Taking the teacher’s phone, Seo Jae-gyeom showed me a photo. It was a shot of me smiling awkwardly while Seo Jae-gyeom gazed at me in profile.
“This one turned out nice too, didn’t it?”
As he leaned in so close our foreheads were practically touching to look at the photos together, a pleasant scent wafted from him.
He put on perfume again.
“Kang Da-hye, want to make this our profile picture?”
“No.”
“Whyyy?”
Do you seriously not know why? Look at my face in the photo.
“We only have fifteen minutes left! All right, let’s switch seats now!”
Startled by the time, the homeroom teacher clapped their hands briskly.
“Hurry up and draw a slip of paper each! Chop-chop!”
“Seo Jae-gyeom, don’t you dare even think about setting that as your profile picture.”
Because I look hideous in it.
“Hmph.”
Leaving behind a pouting Seo Jae-gyeom, I walked away.
I wondered who my deskmate would be.
“I hope I get paired with Seo Jae-gyeom.”
“Jung Eun-sung for me.”
“I want the very back row.”
“Middle of Row 4 for me.”
“I want the front row.”
“Kang Da, if I get the front row, wanna swap seats with me?”
“Sounds good.”
Making that deal with Su-a, I unfolded the slip of paper I’d just drawn.
17.
The very back row of Row 1.
‘I prefer the front, though.’
Feeling a bit disappointed, I gathered my things and moved to the new desk.
“…Is your seat here?”
“Yeah. Right here.”
“…Then you’re my deskmate?”
“Yep.”
“…….”
Acting cool and suave, the obnoxious smirker poked the cat ear on the headband I was still wearing.
“Take good care of me from now on, Kang Da-hye.”
“…….”
Ugh……