She was no different from a beast

Chapter 16

—–CROW—– 

*Hmm.*

*Whirr, whirr.*

The thin rope spun with invisible speed, accompanied by the sound of the wind as I jumped lightly.

‘This is so boring.’

Jumping jacks.

They say it’s the foundation of jump rope, the best way to train all your muscles, improve stamina, and all that good stuff, but it’s incredibly tedious.

Try doing this for 20-30 minutes.

The movement itself is simple… no, it’s *too* simple. It’s driving me crazy.

I never understood those claims that “2,000 jumps in 30 minutes will melt fat and build muscle! You’ve wasted half your life if you haven’t tried it!”

Why 2,000 jumps in 30 minutes? Do they have nothing better to do?

Even the most idle people wouldn’t waste their time like that.

‘Wouldn’t it be better to do 2,000 jumps intensely in 10 minutes?’

Besides, I’m not jumping rope for weight loss or muscle building. Do I have to do it in such a boring way?

“Wow, she’s so fast…”

“It looks like she’s jumping twice with each turn.”

Ah, you youngsters. You’re right, I *am* jumping twice.

While the other kids were awkwardly jumping over the rope in front of their feet or bending their knees ridiculously high to barely manage a single jump, I was demonstrating the advanced technique of the double jump, or the “쌩쌩이” (ssaengssaengi – fast spinning).

Simple jumping jacks aren’t enough for the strong and healthy Hercules of Tonggumi.

Do you think a single rope can challenge Han Yuna, who grew strong, earned the elders’ recognition, and tamed both the tractor and Burari?!

“Yuna! Y-You’ll get hurt if you do that!”

“It’s okay! I’m strong!”

“That’s not what I mean!!”

The teacher, unable to stop me because of the rapidly whirling rope, came over with a worried expression and voice, as if she couldn’t bear to watch.

Ugh, if it were those weak eight-year-olds, I’d show them the “difference in power,” but since it’s the teacher…

I’d decided to become the ultimate brown-nosing sycophant, and I couldn’t ignore my target of adulation. So I stopped, catching the rope between my heel and the ground.

“You’re good at jumping rope too, Yuna…”

“I’m good at anything that involves physical activity!”

I’d never properly learned jump rope.

I just followed a friend in middle school and learned some “musical jump rope” or whatever it was called.

I wasn’t a serious jump roper obsessed with speed and fancy performances.

“I know, I know~ But I’m worried you’ll get hurt. Let’s not do anything dangerous from now on, okay?”

“Ugh, okay…”

This is a problem.

Do I have to endure class with only basic jumping jacks like the other kids?

I couldn’t exactly challenge the teacher to a jump rope duel to prove my point, so I just slumped and nodded dejectedly.

“A-Alright! Shall we play dodgeball?  Kids! Let’s stop jumping rope and play dodgeball!  Sounds good?!”

‘??’

Why is the teacher looking at me like that?

It hasn’t even been 10 minutes since we started jumping rope.

I overheard while moving things in the storage room during lunch break that we were supposed to practice jump rope for 20 minutes and then play dodgeball.

I tilted my head and looked closely at the teacher’s face… her eyes were twitching, and she was forcing a smile.

It was like watching the owner of a goose that lays golden eggs, treating it with utmost care.

Uh oh, this is bad.

I want to be the teacher’s favored right-hand, her loyal subject, not a revolutionary who usurps her authority.

I need to revise my plan.

My original plan was to be the ultimate sycophant: “Oh~ Teacher, you’re absolutely right~ Hehe. Leave all the troublesome tasks to me.”

Instead, I need to give the impression that I’m reliable and capable: “Our Yuna is good at everything. She’s so dependable~”

Like those reliable types who don’t need special treatment, fulfill their duties, and still have the energy to help others or keep things under control.

They’re called aces in the military, and in school… hmm. What are they called in school? I don’t know.

I’ll show the teacher I’m a super ace, an elite student, in dodgeball.

The children’s faces brightened visibly when the teacher announced dodgeball.

Some girls were hesitant, trying to sit out on the stands, but when I approached and simply asked, “Aren’t you playing?” they all hiccuped and joined the game.

I just asked if they were playing.  Why are they reacting like I threatened them with a knife?

So, all 34 of us, including me, gathered to divide into two teams, when Jeongwoo raised his hand and spoke to the teacher.

“Teacher, won’t the team with a monster like Yuna… automatically win?”

“…”

Jeongwoo, Jeongwoo.  Seriously? After how nice I was to you, my own partner…

I suppressed the urge to dropkick him and forced a smile.

Calm down.  If I actually dropkick him, my partner Jeongwoo will become Jeong/Woo (meaning split in half).

Think positive! Thanks to Jeongwoo, I now have an excuse to show the teacher how elite I am!

Huh? How is a balance-breaker elite?  They’re just a nuisance.

Hey, in a game, I might be a broken character, but in reality, that makes me elite.

“Teacher.”

I approached the teacher, who couldn’t refute Jeongwoo’s point.

“I’ll be a team of one.”

“…What? Yuna, dodgeball is a team sport.”

“It’s okay! I can do it alone!”

These small, cute children need to learn the meaning of defeat!

I’ll take care of discipline, teacher!

I’m not angry that Jeongwoo called a cute and adorable kid like me a monster.

I’m not so mentally regressed that I’d get upset by the words of an innocent eight-year-old.

I just want to show these weak city kids the difference in power. Just a little.

Jeongwoo was secretly delighted when Yuna declared she’d be a team of one and the teacher reluctantly agreed.

Finally!!

Finally, he could get revenge on his terrifying partner!

He was scared of her alone.

But 33 of them against Yuna?

He wasn’t scared anymore.  He had his classmates!

“Take this!”

He threw the ball with all his might.

He’d been taking Taekwondo since he was seven, and he was confident he was stronger than the other kids.  This was his strongest throw!

Even that monster Yuna wouldn’t be able to dodge it!

She wouldn’t be able to catch it, so she’d have to dodge…

*Thud!*

…?

“Is that all?”

Yuna caught the ball with both hands, standing still without even flinching.

She caught it? I threw it so hard!

I threw it even harder than the time my master scolded me for throwing too hard and risking injury…!!

His classmates, who had mustered their courage, trembled and backed away.

Oh no. This is bad.

He, the strongest in the class besides Yuna, was supposed to take her out first!

Seeing her effortlessly catch his best throw, he felt something he’d only seen in cartoons – fear.

A sense of helplessness, different from simple fright.

His hands weren’t just trembling; his heart felt like it was being ripped apart.

Yuna’s unwavering gaze fixed on him, and as her lips curled into a smile, he felt a dampness in his pants.

“When you throw a ball…”

*Whoosh! Bang!*

“Aaargh!!”

Her raised arm came down.

Her twisted torso unwound, her whole body spinning.

The ball hit the chest of the boy next to him with a sickening thud, knocking him down, then flew back to Yuna.

…H-How can she be that strong?

“See? You have to use your whole body. Like this!!”

*Whizz! Bang!*

“Kyaaa!”

One by one, his classmates fell victim to Yuna’s merciless power.

She crushed their hopes and courage with a playful smile, treating them like toys.

W-What should we do?

Are we going to lose?

Are we… are we never going to beat Yuna?

His eyes squeezed shut, his fists clenched and trembling…

“Jeongwoo!!”

*Bang!*

The class president jumped in front of the incoming ball, deflecting it towards their team.

He clutched his stomach and collapsed, but still managed to smile at Jeongwoo.

The ball rolled to a stop at his feet.

He looked around.  Only two of his 33 classmates remained.

‘I have to.  I have to do this right.’

Yuna is a girl, and he’s a boy.

His dad always said boys are stronger than girls.

So there’s no way he can’t do what Yuna does!

He picked up the ball and raised his arm high.

He arched his back, pivoted his foot, and spun his body!

“Take this!!”

Remembering his classmates who trusted him, and the class president who gave him another chance, he threw the ball with all his might.

The ball flew much faster than when he just used his arm.

Even Yuna wouldn’t be able to catch this.

He smiled, thinking victory was within their grasp, but… Yuna jumped towards the incoming ball?

‘Why?’

She caught the ball with her right hand, spun it in the air, and threw it with unimaginable force, taking out his two remaining classmates at once.

The ball landed with a thud. She kicked it up, caught it at her waist, and looked down at the fallen children with gray eyes.

“I understand now.  Your level.”

Her voice wasn’t its usual scary yet energetic tone.  It was low, cold, and sharp like the winter wind. Tears streamed down their faces.

“It’s so pathetic, I want to die.”

Before the monster that was Yuna… they were utterly defeated.

—–CROW—–