The "Kim Taeyang Task Force" immediately moved to their next strategy.
"Gather all the female members…!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
"If he's not committing crimes, make him commit one and catch him…!"
That was Vice-Principal Shin Hyewon's special order.
"Everyone, loosen your clothes and lie down in the disciplinary office. Act with the intent to maximally provoke a man's lust. Got it?"
"Understood!!"
Chloe's plan was simple.
Line up scantily clad female members in the office.
Place an incense artifact with a strong sleep-inducing effect on the table.
With books spread out, it'd look like they fell asleep by mistake during an experiment.
'No way a guy obsessed with women could resist this scene! Heh heh heh.'
Female members in erotic outfits, fast asleep.
The moment Kim Taeyang laid a hand on them—
'We'll jump out from the cabinets and catch him red-handed…!'
They'd arrest him on the spot.
A wicked but surefire plan.
It was for the sake of justice, so no issue there.
Of course, the student council's oversight committee wouldn't stay quiet if they found out.
But the student council was powerless now, with the president and all third-years out on internships.
"Kim Taeyang's approaching the office!"
"Everyone, get ready! Hyejeong, undo one more button!! Laila, rip your stockings…!! The rest, hide!!!"
The members moved in perfect sync under Chloe's command.
The trap seemed flawless.
Click-
Kim Taeyang finally entered.
The hidden members held their breath, barely daring to move their eyes for fear of being spotted.
Luckily, Kim Taeyang didn't seem suspicious.
"Huh? What's this?"
He strode toward the desk, spotting the sleep-inducing incense and related textbooks, then shouted gleefully.
"Woo~ Defenseless girls, get!! Lighting sleep incense in a locked room? How stupid are these chicks?! They're practically begging to be messed up!!! Hey!!!"
'It's time…!'
Kim Taeyang would surely make a move on the girls.
He's a trashy pervert who uses constellations as an excuse to enslave women!
Beep beep beep-
Kim Taeyang grabbed the air conditioner remote and lowered the room's temperature.
To a chilling 16°C!
An absurdly low temperature for the still-cool spring…!
'What? Is he cooling the room to go wild?'
"Heh heh heh. This AC breeze hasn't had its filter cleaned in nearly a year, so it stinks like hell!! Sniff it up with your noses and clean it properly…!!!"
"?"
"Living air purifiers, abandoning all dignity!!! Heh heh. It'll be hilarious when you're all coughing from a cold virus tomorrow."
"???"
And that was it.
After cranking the AC to freezing, Kim Taeyang left the office.
Chloe and the hidden members emerged.
Kim Angyeong, shocked, asked, "President! Can't we charge him with something for lowering the AC and cursing us with colds?!"
"…"
"Like… Inducing-Cold Crime or Springtime-AC-Use Crime… Something like that?!"
'As if such crimes exist…!!!'
A complete defeat.
The disciplinary office, now freezing, was filled with the stench of a year-old filter…
***
Time flew by.
It was the final day of the constellation swap.
In ten minutes, at 6 p.m., they'd swap constellations back in the disciplinary office.
But Chloe Maiden still hadn't left her spot.
"…You know what that guy said when he turned on the AC? 'Sniff up that year-old stinky filter breeze with your noses!'"
"What a vile jerk…"
They were in Kang Juhyeok's dorm room.
Chloe often came here to chat with him.
She's naturally talkative and outgoing.
But chatting wasn't the only reason she visited.
"By the way, Juhyeok, your face looks healed."
"Yeah, thanks to your care, sunbae."
Kang Juhyeok.
After his crushing defeat to Kim Taeyang, he'd been living quietly.
Losing the duel was a massive blow to his pride.
It wasn't a street brawl—he lost in a swordsmanship duel…
Chloe had persistently knocked on his door to cheer him up.
"Juhyeok, still feeling down?"
"Kinda… I keep thinking about that defeat…"
"Don't worry. We failed this time, but next time, I'll make sure that delinquent ends up in jail. Then Harin, who you're so worried about, will be free from her slave life!"
"Yeah…"
Despite Chloe's encouragement, Kang Juhyeok couldn't muster any energy.
His dejected look somehow reminded her of her past self.
That's why she couldn't just let it slide.
"When I was younger, I was a total nobody," Chloe said.
"What…? You, sunbae?" Kang Juhyeok asked, surprised.
"Yeah. I'm short now, but I was even shorter back then. I grew up abroad, so the culture was different, and I struggled to understand Korean at first. I did a lot of weird stuff… I couldn't keep up with homework or bring the right supplies, so I was always getting scolded. I was just trying to fit in, but the other kids called me a show-off and ostracized me."
An outcast Chloe Maiden.
Hard to imagine, given the Chloe of today.
"From then on, I worked hard to blend in. Above all, I tried not to break any rules—school rules, sure, but also the unspoken ones among friends. Like not asking questions when class is about to end."
That was why Chloe became obsessed with following rules.
Of course, just keeping rules didn't free her from being an outcast.
Once an image is set, it's hard to shake off.
"I wanted to transfer schools, but it wasn't possible… Then one day, Lashara-nim came to me."
It was the constellation Lashara who saved Chloe.
"Being chosen by a constellation was already a big deal, but Lashara-nim was a 9-star constellation. After that, my life completely changed. I went from being ignored and bullied to standing at the center of everything."
"I had no idea you had that kind of past…"
"Everyone thinks I've always been like this, but without Lashara-nim, I wouldn't be who I am today."
To Chloe, Lashara was more than just a constellation.
The Goddess of Punishment, Lashara.
A fearsome nickname.
But in her heart, Chloe gave her another name.
'Savior', Lashara.
"Lashara-nim was my salvation."
The one who reached out to her when she was stuck in the mud.
Lashara became Chloe's friend,
Her teacher,
Her parent.
Sometimes, she even felt like a lover.
Someone who protected her from any threat, no matter what.
"That's a really special bond…"
"Yeah, it is. I don't even know how to repay the love and blessings Lashara-nim gave me."
Chloe turned to the window.
The pastoral sunset light warmed her face.
"If I'm worthy, I want to be someone's Lashara."
"You're more than worthy, sunbae."
"If that's true… I'd like to be your Lashara."
"…"
Kang Juhyeok blinked.
Her words carried a different vibe than usual.
Still looking out the window, Chloe continued.
"You know… Juhyeok, do you like Harin?"
"Huh? Well, she's my childhood friend, so of course…"
"Not like that. Do you like her as a woman?"
Kang Juhyeok definitely liked Seol Harin.
But for some reason, the words wouldn't come easily.
'I like Harin… I've liked her for a long time… But it's also true I'm drawn to Chloe-sunbae…'
Kang Juhyeok was in love with two women at once.
As expected of a spicy game protagonist…!
"I don't think I've ever thought of it that way…"
"Really? That's a relief…"
Chloe's voice trembled slightly.
"I want to be the one who's always by your side… Like Lashara-nim was for me, I want to be your Lashara—rejoicing with you when you're happy, comforting you when you're struggling, and punishing the jerks who make you mad…"
"…"
Chloe turned, smiling.
Her flushed cheeks made her look cuter and more lovable than usual.
"Can I be your Lashara…?"
Thump! Thump…!
"Sunbae…"
Kang Juhyeok hesitated.
Should he accept her confession…?
He was definitely drawn to Chloe.
But his feelings for Seol Harin were also genuine.
Honestly, he still liked Harin more.
'Maybe I'll date Chloe-sunbae for now, and if Harin wants to date later, I'll break up with sunbae? Chloe's chest is kinda small, after all…'
He suddenly remembered getting slapped with a giant leek.
Maybe Seol Harin's heart was gone for good.
She seemed completely tamed by Kim Taeyang's body.
'No, Harin might never come back… So maybe it's better to just date Chloe-sunbae. Her chest is a bit of a letdown, but… oh well.'
Having made his calculations, Kang Juhyeok decided.
It was the perfect timing for a confession—none of the romance/sex-hating constellations were awake.
Even a forever-alone like Kang Juhyeok could tell this was the moment.
"Sunbae… Actually, I—"
Just as he was about to confess—
BOOOOOOOOOOOOM───────────!!!!
"URGH!!!! Stop screwing around and come out, mini sow!!!!!!"
"W-What…?!"
A deafening crash came from the entrance.
They rushed out to see Kim Taeyang, who had smashed through the dorm door.
"You broke the appointment time to go mess around with a guy?! Are you out of your damn mind?!?!"
"Y-You! How dare you damage school property?!"
"It's your fault for not keeping time, isn't it?! I was worried something happened to Pomi, so I smashed it!! And for the record, I'll cover the damages, so don't make a fuss!!!!"
"Woof-♡"
Pomi, napping in the living room, leapt into Kim Taeyang's arms.
"Tch. You could've just waited! Take that troublemaking dog already—I've had enough headaches!!"
"You're the one who screwed up, and you're blaming sweet Pomi?! You're the pathetic one!!"
"You're the pathetic one, you pig!! I'll expose your crimes soon enough and get you locked up for life!!! You oversized, delinquent, woman-chasing trash! Scumbag!! Lowest of the low!!!!"
"Heh heh heh."
"?"
Despite Chloe's barrage of insults, Kim Taeyang just smirked.
A sudden unease hit her, but Chloe puffed out her small chest to hold her ground.
"What's so funny? Hand over Lashara-nim already!!"
Lashara.
At the mention of her name, Kim Taeyang's demeanor shifted.
A chilling, sinister aura radiated from him.
"Hey. What's that nonsense?"
"…I said, give Lashara-nim back."
"Ohhh, that. Heh heh heh. Thing is, she already promised to be my constellation."
"W-What…?"
Kim Taeyang waved the whip in his hand.
"What does that… It's a lie, right, Lashara-nim?"
"…"
"Lashara-nim…? Why aren't you answering…?! Lashara-nim!!!"
It felt like a boulder had crashed onto her chest.
Breathing became difficult.
If Lashara had really gone over to Kim Taeyang,
It was as if Chloe had lost her best friend, mentor, parent, and even lover all at once.
"Hey. Her name isn't Lashara anymore."
"…?"
Kim Taeyang's voice dropped heavily.
That infuriatingly masculine, cool voice uttered something unbelievable.
"Hey, Kkubburi."
"Kku… Kkubburi…?"
Kkubburi.
An unimaginably vulgar, ridiculous name…!
Before Chloe could fully process the shock,
The whip stirred and wriggled.
"Kku, kkubburi~"
"…?"
Kkubburi swayed, dancing.
Even more shocking was the expression on the whip's face.
Lashara, who always had a (°꒫°) expression…
Was now swaying with a clumsy (ˊᗜˋ);; face?!
"La… Lashara-nim…? Why that expression… Why are you dancing such a vulgar dance…?! You were always so stoic!!!!"
The Goddess of Punishment, Lashara.
The epitome of stoicism and gravitas.
To Chloe, who saw her as the Goddess of Charisma, the "Kkubburi dance" was utterly devastating.
"Hey, Kkubburi. I'm 'allowing' you to speak. Tell this mini sow the truth."
"Kku, kkubburi~ I, Kkubburi… have decided to become Kim Taeyang-nim's constellation…! He showed me true happiness and joy… and made me realize my true self… My one and only savior… Hee, heehee…?"
Lashara was completely broken.
Like she was high on drugs… She didn't seem sane at all.
"This… This is a lie…"
My idol.
My savior.
My Lashara.
She had fallen.
"It's a lie… It has to be a lie…"
Thud.
Chloe collapsed.
Kim Taeyang looked down at her, chuckling.
"Think you've got time for romance? From now on, I'll pamper you my way, so look forward to it!!"
'This bastard… He's going to toy with me disgustingly…'
She didn't know then.
What was coming for her was fitness.