Several hours had passed.
Classes were over, and the high school hallways were silent, broken only by the distant shouts of sports clubs or the scrape of a broom against the floor.
The sun was setting, painting orange light through the tall windows of the infirmary.
And me… I was alive. For the first time, I felt more alive than ever.
I woke up on a cot, my body wrecked with pain. I could feel bandages on my right arm, on my left eyebrow, and a light wrap around my torso, probably holding a bruised rib in place.
"You were lucky he didn't break all your teeth," said a voice without emotion.
Slowly, I turned my head and saw Baek Chaerin.
She was sitting on a chair beside the cot, arms crossed, legs crossed as well. Her blouse was clean again, perfectly white, ironed, as if the kimchi had never stained it. But her presence was still the same: elegant, cold, untouchable.
"Since when does the famous Chaerin care about the life of Suhyeon Kim?"
"I don't care about you," she replied immediately, without looking directly at me. "I was just… curious."
"Curious?" I repeated, letting the word hang in the air.
"Yes," she said, fixing her eyes on mine now. "Before Changdong stepped in. You said something. I couldn't stop thinking about it."
"Something like… 'Throw me, or are you scared'?" I asked, though I knew it wasn't that line.
She shook her head softly.
"The other thing. The last one."
And I smiled. Because I knew exactly what she meant. "Little mischievous one," I whispered.
I shifted a bit despite the pain, and looked at her with mock solemnity.
"So, what do you say, princess?" I repeated, just like that time. "Does that count as a kiss attempt… or is something still missing?"
Chaerin blinked.
For the first time, she didn't react with mockery or disdain. She just thought.
"W-what the hell are you saying, idiot?!" she shouted with a slight blush.
Her cheeks didn't fully turn red, but there was a faint change. A held breath. A twitch on her lips that I couldn't tell was annoyance or interest.
"Definitely not," she finally answered, crossing her legs more firmly. "But if you say something like that again, I promise you'll end up here… but unconscious."
"Then it's worth it," I muttered.
"What did you say?"
"Nothing. Just that my head hurts."
Chaerin turned her gaze toward the window. The sunset painted her face with a warmth that didn't match her attitude.
She stood from the chair with a light sigh, as if she had finally decided she'd wasted enough time there.
"Anyway. I'm leaving. My curiosity's satisfied."
"You're leaving without saying goodbye?" I said, still lying down, with a half-smile.
"You want me to shake your hand or something?" she replied, raising an eyebrow.
"No, no. I just thought princesses said goodbye with more style. A bow. A handkerchief. A kiss on the forehead? Or maybe…"
"Keep dreaming."
But at that moment, just as she turned to leave, a gust of wind rushed in through the open window.
The infirmary door slammed shut with a loud BANG!
The noise startled her.
And by accident, she tripped on the leg of the cot. She lost her balance for a second and leaned forward. I reacted on pure reflex, trying to catch her.
It only took a second. Her face fell onto mine. Our lips brushed.
It wasn't a passionate kiss, nor planned. It was clumsy, very clumsy actually, just a soft warm touch… but real.
"Her lips are so soft…" I murmured aloud.
And she pulled away instantly, as if struck by lightning.
— — — [System] — — —
Mission completed.
— — — — — — — — —
"W-what…?" she stammered, bringing a hand to her lips. "It was an accident!"
I froze, wide-eyed, heart racing.
"Are you sure…?" I said softly, smiling. "Because if it was a sneak attack, I have to admit you executed it really well, Chaerin."
"Shut up!" she exclaimed, red up to her ears, spinning away abruptly.
She hurried to the door, but before leaving, she stopped for a second. Without looking at me, she said in a low voice:
"Don't tell anyone… what happened here… Got it?"
I watched her from the cot, tilting my head. Her neck, her ear… even her nape were red. Baek Chaerin, the ice queen, was blushing.
"And she wants me to act like nothing happened? How cute," I whispered to myself with a calm smile, not trying to provoke her, just… savoring the moment.
"Don't worry," I replied with a relaxed tone. "I'll be a grave. Although…" I shrugged, pretending innocence. "If you trip again, I promise I'll be ready."
She didn't answer. But I saw her shoulders tense for a moment. And just when I thought she'd leave without saying anything else, she let out a sigh and muttered,
"You're an idiot!"
Then she left, slamming the door shut behind her.
I was alone in the infirmary. And this time, the silence didn't weigh. I rested my good arm behind my head and let out a short laugh.
"Ha!"
"Who would've thought… yesterday's Suhyeon ends up like this today. I hope this isn't some damn dream."
I looked at the ceiling, letting the last light of sunset wash over my face. For the first time since I came to this world, I thought…
"Maybe things aren't that bad."
A few hours had passed since the nurse told me I could go home.
Most of the students had already left, and the building was calm. Even the clubs were quiet, as if the entire school had decided to rest after a long day.
I left the infirmary, my body still aching, but feeling lighter.
My steps echoed in the empty hallways, each sound bouncing like a long echo against the gray walls.
No more stares. No more phones recording. Just me, my bandages, and a comfortable silence… feeling the air on my face.
Crossing the main gate, the sky had already deepened to dark blue, ready to give way to night. The streetlamps were starting to flicker on one by one, casting long shadows on the asphalt.
I walked without hurry, hands in my pockets, breathing calmly.
"It's strange. I feel… something close to satisfaction."
My mind went back to what had happened. The two missions.
— — — [System] — — —
Defeat Choi Changdong [1/1]
Reward: 1 silver card and 1 bronze card.
— — — — — — — — —
"I had completed it. With sweat, blows, and some blood… but I did it."
"And the other one… the one that seemed absurd from the start."
— — — [System] — — —
Kiss Baek Chaerin [1/1]
Reward: 1 gold card and 1 silver card.
— — — — — — — — —
"It was an accident. So clumsy it almost cost me a slap. But it happened by chance. That mission was complete too."
I stopped for a second under a streetlamp, tilting my head slightly to the sky.
Part of me still couldn't believe it. Not just the cards… all of this. This world, Suhyeon's body. It was like a machine repeating itself to me. I didn't want it to be a dream.
I wasn't behind my phone anymore. I was living it. And surreal as it was… it was working.
The night breeze ruffled my hair a little, and I let out a soft laugh.
"Alright… it's time," I murmured, looking upward with determination.
"To reveal all the cards."