LAL 03

chapter 03

Stella was sitting next to Malcolm—the seat Isu had occupied all semester. Isu’s brows furrowed.

“…Why are you two sitting together?”

“Oh my, Danielle. Did your talk with Ms. Miranda go well? You must’ve been really disappointed about not getting the internship. You worked so hard for it.”

Stella waved her fingers lazily in the air, showing off her pink nail art. As she tilted her head, her signature tear mole stood out even more.

Malcolm, his tie tightened to the point of suffocation, shrank his neck and shoulders inward. His already turtle-like posture became even more pronounced.

“No, not really. Could you step out of the seat for a moment?”

“From now on, this is my spot. Malcolm and I decided to prepare the science column together this time.”

“What? Malcolm, you said you’d do that with me.”

Isu didn’t really have anyone she could call a friend at school—but she did have “colleagues.” Malcolm had been one of them.

In this miserable school life, he was one of the few people she treated with sincerity, but—

“H-hey… it’s not like we confirmed it or anything. I don’t think we can do it together this time. I… ended up doing it with Stella.”

As if loyalty had never existed, Malcolm brushed Isu off without hesitation.

Then, as Isu stood there momentarily stunned, someone deliberately bumped hard into her shoulder.

Thrown off balance, she staggered forward. When she raised her head sharply, she saw Emily standing there with her arms crossed, glaring at her sideways.

“Try-elle. If you’re so smart, you shouldn’t be forgetting your place, huh?”

“…What?”

What is this now?

“I saw everything, you know? Waiting until Frederick was alone in the classroom so you could flirt with him.”

The girls beside Emily looked Isu up and down, snickering mockingly. What was so funny?

Her irritation reaching its peak, Isu placed a hand on her hip and glared straight at Emily.

“Stop smirking. If you’re going to accuse someone, at least get your facts straight. First, I was in the classroom before him. Second, it looks like your brain is filtered with hearts, but Frederick and I have argued more than we’ve ever had a friendly conversation. And lastly—”

That damn Frederick. Frederick this, Frederick that.

Frederick Bastiat—always causing trouble for others, one way or another.

“You might lose your minds over Frederick Bastiat, but I’m nothing like that. So stop talking nonsense.”

She snapped with genuine anger, but the quiet classroom quickly erupted into laughter at a boy’s mocking voice.

“Queen Nerd’s mad. Really mad.”

The students burst out laughing, and even Emily and Stella laughed as they pleased.

These damn airheads…

She knew that taking them seriously would only lead to this—but she still got swept up in it.

After nonstop chaos all day, her patience had finally hit its limit. And to top it off, Frederick Bastiat had been the final needle pushing her over the edge.

“Well, I’ll believe you this time. But don’t act so full of yourself, El.”

As the teacher entered the classroom, Emily lightly placed a hand on Isu’s shoulder and whispered:

“You know you’re not that impressive. Don’t go around forgetting your place.”

If you don’t want to get into serious trouble.

Just like Emily’s chilling voice, Isu’s heart turned just as cold.

“Wow, look at our Try-hard-nielle.”

Joshua, lounging on the deck of the outdoor sports field, flapped his hands inside his tracksuit pockets like a penguin and gestured forward with his chin.

The “Center Table Boys”—a group implicitly allowed to stand above even the wealthy “new money” students worth tens of millions at Elmir Westlake.

At Joshua’s words—the most mischievous among them and captain of the swim team—the boys all turned their attention to the crimson running track.

Except Frederick. He was already watching Isu.

“How many laps has she done by herself already?”

“About eight? That’s over two miles.”

While the other students rested after finishing their one-mile run, Isu continued running alone during free time.

Even though she wasn’t part of any sports team, everyone openly knew that running was both her specialty and hobby. After all, Elmir Westlake spanned from kindergarten through high school.

“I heard she didn’t get the research internship.”

“Oh right, and what’s that locker thing about?”

The boys continued their casual chatter about Isu.

They had known her since lower school, and because she always kept to herself, she stood out. Her difficult life as a scholarship student often became a topic of conversation, sometimes even evoking a strange sense of pity.

“I heard Jeremy broke it open this morning.”

Jeremy was a football linebacker—and Emily’s boyfriend.

“What the hell is that guy doing?”

“I’m watching to see how far he takes it.”

Mateo, the football team captain and quarterback, frowned. His low voice carried a natural intimidation.

Frederick, dressed in a white T-shirt and white athletic pants, ignored the conversation and kept his gaze fixed on Isu running.

Her footsteps gradually slowed… until she came to a stop.

Then she tilted her head up toward the sky.

Her heavy breathing seemed to reach Frederick’s ears like an illusion.

“Anyway, I heard something interesting.”

“What?”

“They say Try-elle is actually pretty.”

All eyes turned to Joshua. This time, Frederick looked too. Cobb, the lacrosse team captain, frowned.

“What? What did you just say?”

“They say there’s a real face behind those crappy glasses—something we wouldn’t expect. Charlie saw it at the library.”

The conversation, which had been about to heat up, abruptly stopped.

Because Isu had approached, heading toward the building. She wiped sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand.

Everyone’s gaze shifted toward her—filled with curiosity.

Completely unaware, Isu walked straight ahead, focused only on where she was going.

And then—

For a brief moment, she took off her glasses to wipe the sweat.

“What the hell?!”

At the sharp exclamation, Isu turned toward the group of boys gathered around Frederick.

But no one said anything further.

Soon, she turned her gaze forward again and walked into the building.

Only after she disappeared did the conversation resume.

“What is with those glasses? How does someone’s face change that much?”

“Wow…”

“I seriously don’t get it. Why hide a face like that?”

“If she’d just gotten rid of those trashy glasses earlier…”

The conversation trailed off again—but every single one of them was thinking the same thing.

Frederick noticed that easily.

“….”

A faint smile lingered on his lips as always—

But his eyes didn’t smile at all.

Isu relieved stress by running. It was a healthy habit she had maintained since lower school.

I’m really at my limit.

But even after nearly ten laps, her stress didn’t ease—if anything, it only built up.

What had hit her in just half a day couldn’t be solved by running alone.

She couldn’t even go to lunch because she had to find her belongings from the locker.

Determined to retrieve them first, Isu returned to the trash area, then headed into the main building where the lockers were—checking every trash can on every floor.

I’m hungry….

She felt unusually drained—both physically and mentally.

How many pages do I have to write for that “prove I’m poor” essay…

To Isu, the essay felt meaningless. No matter how sincerely she wrote it, the board would decide the scholarship amount however they pleased.

Malcolm, you jerk. No loyalty at all.

As she opened and closed trash cans over and over, her expression darkened further.

Finally—at the eighth trash can—she found her belongings.

In the basement.

“…Ha…”

The main building was quiet with no classes in session.

Holding her binder and books that had been buried in trash, Isu slowly walked to the restroom.

Splash—